contra naturam
by moonandstars1989
Summary: When a mysterious girl shows up during a hunt, Sam and Dean get more than they bargained for. Allison Venator may be young, but she's certainly not naïve. As a wise man once said, "family doesn't end with blood." Sam and Dean are just about to find out how true this could be.
1. Chapter 1 - Knock Knock

**AN: So this is my new Supernatural fanfiction that I've been working on. Its an OC story and I hope you enjoy it!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or plot lines in this story. All writes to the writers and creators of Supernatural.**

* * *

Dean Winchester wasn't known for being the brains of the family. He tended to leave all that to his younger brother. After all, Sam had attended Stanford University and been presumed the one with all the intelligence from a young age. Dean didn't know much about Math or Physics or the exact area of Europe, but if there was one thing he did know, it was how to hunt. Dean's mind wasn't filled with facts he had deemed useless, but was crammed full with knowledge of the supernatural, from exorcisms to weapons that could kill countless monsters he had encountered almost all of his life. He was a sharp, quick thinker with catlike reflexes and to most people who knew him, the real him, he was one of the smartest people they had ever met.

Which was why, as the elder Winchester sat on the edge of a queen sized in the dingy motel room, he was irritated that he couldn't figure out what was going on in the death ridden town they were staying in. When he and Sam had scouted out the house of the first victim, they had been convinced it was a ghost that had killed the young mother-of-two. All the signs had pointed that way. EMF had been through the roof, the husband had reported cold spots over the last few weeks and Sam had even come across an article from the 1960s of a woman who was brutally murdered in that same house. The two brothers hadn't hesitated to locate the woman's corpse and salt and burn the bones. It was safe to say that after that, Dean was ready to leave the small town in Wyoming and find another case. It came as a surprise the next day to get a call from the county Sheriff who informed them that another person had been found dead in the same house, this time a deputy of the Sheriff's department.

Sam and Dean had gone straight down to the morgue to view the body, posing as FBI agents of course, and concluded that something wasn't right, although as of yet, they didn't know what. The body of Deputy Carter did not display the classic signs of a ghost attack, far from it in fact. There were chunks of flesh missing, not the mention the internal organs looked like they had been put through a blender.

"Ever heard of a ghost eating someone to death?" Sam had asked his brother. Dean had replied with an angry and confused grunt before trying to come up with another suggestion.

"Looks more like a Wendigo," Dean had proposed, but he knew that it was an unlikely idea.

So the Winchester's sat in the motel room, Sam researching as much as he could on his laptop whilst Dean leafed through his father's journal looking for answers. They were both reviewing the situation, trying to give fresh perspectives on it. The suggestion that it could just be a coincidence that a ghost and something else lurked in the same house and each had made a kill within a week of each other was not something Dean wanted to accept, nor did he believe he could. Somehow, they must have been wrong about the ghost. EMF could be explained by power lines, but what about the cold spots?

"Something about this case stinks," Dean muttered to himself as he closed the journal, not managing to find anything useful. He stood up from his place on the bed and grabbed his leather jacket lying next to him. "I'm gonna go get some grub, you want anything?" he asked his brother.

"No thanks," Sam replied without looking up. Dean nodded before walking over to the door and swinging it open. He would have bumped into her if she hadn't jolted so much in surprise. Before him stood a woman, no, a girl dressed in ripped skinny jeans and an oversized sweater. Her blonde hair was matted and windswept and a small rucksack clung to her back. Small beads of rain gripped her form as it started to spit. She had been poised by the door, as if ready to knock when Dean had discovered her. Now, she looked up at the eldest Winchester, hugging herself with her arms as she shivered in the rain. She looked apprehensive, but in the same way, determined.

"Winchester, right?" the girl said hurriedly. "John's kid?" Dean was taken aback by the way she spoke with such recollection. He was now beginning to find her familiar, but the memory was distant and he wondered if it existed at all. It also amused him how she had referred to him as a kid when she was clearly still one herself.

"Who's asking?" Dean asked smoothly, raising an eyebrow at the girl who seemed to know him.

"I asked you first," she said.

"Yeah? Well unfortunately I don't give out trust for free, so spill," he said, jaw clenching as he stared down at the girl.

"Dean, who's at the door?" the pair heard Sam shout from the table in the motel room. He was hastily standing up and making his way to the door. Dean stood aside for his brother to get through, all the while keeping his eyes trained on the strange girl. "What's going on?" Sam said as he made it to the door, looking first to his brother before glancing down to the girl stood in their doorstep.

"Can I come in?" she said, almost pleading. She could feel the rain starting to soak through her jumper and cloak her skin. She pushed past the brother's before they could reply and made her way into the motel room, arms crossed as she positioned herself by the wall.

She could hear the pair muttering to each other, mainly Dean, the eldest, cussing and telling Sam that they should throw her back out into the rain. She guessed it was because he didn't like the fact that she knew them when they, seemingly, didn't know her. They came over, Sam perching himself in front of her on the end of the bed and Dean standing to the left, mimicking her pose of arms crossed, only his features where schooled much more harshly than hers. It was clear he didn't like her already.

They watched her expectantly and the girl realised they were waiting for her to explain herself.

"I was told you were hunters," she said. Dean's eyes narrowed.

"By who?"

"Can you help me?" she asked, her eyes focusing on Sam rather than his brother. Dean snapped.

"Why don't you stop asking questions and start answering some!"

"Dean,' Sam warned before turning back to the girl. "Why do you need our help?" Sam asked. The girl noted how he seemed more caring than his brother, or maybe was just acting that way.

"For a case," she replied.

"A case?" Dean asked sceptically. "How old are you?" She glared at him.

"Old enough."

"Is that right?" Dean said cockily. She didn't like the way he seemed to mock her. "Well sorry sweetheart, but we're on a case right now. Get in line."

"Dean,' Sam warned again a little louder. "Tell us about the case." She sighed and cleared her throat. She knew this case inside out having been working on it for far too long by herself.

"Nineteen-year-old male went missing from his motel room one night. Other guests heard him shout for help and called the cops, but by the time they arrived there was no sign of him."

"What makes you think there's a case?" Sam asked, genuinely curious as to why this girl would go to so much trouble over what seemed like an abduction.

"They found blood in the room. Lots," she paused, "and sulphur."

"Oh great," Dean said sarcastically, "another demon."

"Were there any witnesses?" Sam asked, ignoring his brother's comment. "Anyone hear or see anything besides him shouting for help?"

"His eleven-year-old sister had locked herself in the bathroom," she said.

"Well that's probably the place to start. She probably knows…"

"She doesn't know anything," the girl said, cutting Sam off. He frowned at her but still spoke softly.

"How can you be sure?" he questioned. She averted her eyes away from the younger Winchester's and fiddled with the sleeve of her sweater.

"I just am." Sam stared at her quizzically for a moment before letting it go. Sam realised then that they had yet to learn the girls name or how she even knew they existed. It was clear she knew something of their father and Sam wondered if she might have information on his location.

"We are John Winchester's sons," Sam said before extending a hand to the girl. "I'm Sam." The girl stared at the outstretched hand, unsure whether or not she should take it. Tentatively, she unfolded and arm and placed her hand in Sam's.

"Allison," she said quietly. Sam noted how cold her hand felt as he shook it. She must have been standing out in the rain for a long time.

"It's good to meet you, Allison," Sam said kindly, trying to make the girl feel more relaxed. His brother was not helping the situation. "That's Dean." Sam considered his next question, wanting to know the answer but worried he might not be able to get it. "How do you know our dad?"

"I don't," she said. "Not really. I've only met him a couple of times."

"Then how did you get our names?" Dean asked.

"Bobby Singer gave them to me," she replied. "You guys know him, right?" Dean sighed before nodding.

"Yeah, we know Bobby," Dean said. "So what, you just figured you'd show up and we'd just agree to take the case?"

"I know you're looking for your father," Allison said. "And he's looking for a demon. I am too. I just figured we could work together."

"Why?" Dean asked, growing irritated. "Because you think you're a hunter? You're a kid!" Allison's face fell blank. She hated it when people called her a kid. She knew she was only sixteen but she knew more about the supernatural than most people would ever know in their life time. She wasn't going to give up, even if the Winchester's wouldn't help her. She had to solve the case, and she didn't care what it took.

Sensing the clear tension between the two, Sam spoke up, trying to disperse the icy atmosphere. "It's getting late. Allison, why don't we go see we can get you a room?" After a moment, the girl nodded, and followed Sam out of the room.

* * *

Sam was up early that morning, straight onto his computer to research anything he could about the mysterious girl's case. He thought it odd that a sixteen-year-old could be pursuing a case so seriously and needed to find out more. Dean sat across from him, tucking into a breakfast burger he had picked up from a diner. The two had yet to see Allison that morning, casing stress for Sam and relief from Dean.

"19-year-old male vanishes from motel room. Presumed dead," Sam read out loud, shifting his laptop around so Dean could see. "Had to do some serious digging to find it, but here it is."

"Really?" Dean asked as he skimmed over the news article. "Why was it so hard to find."

"Look at the date," Sam said. Dean's eyes narrowed at the article as he searched for the information he was looking for.

"December 21st," he read, frowning when he saw the year. "1999?" Sam nodded as Dean looked up at him, his expression confused. "That doesn't make sense," Dean said. "Allison would only have been…" he trailed off, realisation hitting him.

"Eleven," Sam finished for him.

"Crap," Dean said, putting his burger down. "It's her fricking brother? No wonder she wants to solve the case so bad."

"What do you think we should do?" Sam asked, feeling concerned for the girl who had lost her brother over five years ago.

"I think we should call Bobby for starters," Dean said as if it was obvious. "I mean, he obviously knows her somehow. And he got us into this mess."

"Yeah, you're right," Sam agreed. "I'll do it now." Dean nodded and Sam took out his phone, dialling the hunter's number immediately as he entered the hallway.

 _"_ _Yeah?"_ the voice of Bobby Singer greeted down the phone in a gruff tone.

"Bobby, hey," Sam said. "It's Sam, Sam Winchester."

 _"_ _Sam,"_ Bobby replied in recognition. _"_ _It's been a while."_ Sam smiled.

"Too long." He paused wondering how to approach the topic of the mysterious girl who had showed up at their motel room. In the end, he didn't have to. Bobby spoke up first.

 _"_ _You wouldn't happen to have come across a 16-year-old masquerading as a hunter, would you?"_ Bobby asked, almost dreading the answer.

"Yeah, she's here," Sam said. "She wants our help on a case."

 _"_ _Dammit, Al,"_ Bobby mumbled under his breath. _"_ _Is she okay?"_

"Yeah, she's okay," Sam confirmed. "You know her well?" Bobby laughed.

 _"_ _Pretty well considering she's been living with me for over five years?"_ Bobby said. _"_ _Practically raised the kid."_

"Five years?" Sam asked incredulously.

 _"_ _Yep,"_ Bobby replied. _"_ _Ever since her brother went missing."_

"What about her parents?" Sam asked.

 _"_ _No, they've been outta the picture a long time,"_ Bobby replied.

"So what? You took her in just like that?" Sam asked.

 _"_ _Her old man was a great friend,"_ Bobby said _. "And a great hunter at that."_

"A hunter?" Sam asked. Bobby sighed.

 _"_ _You really have no idea who she is, do ya?"_ Bobby said. The silence on Sam's end answered his question for him. _"_ _Let me give you a hint, her last name begins with a 'V'."_

"Are you serious?" Sam almost yelled down the phone. "She's Allison _Venator_? As in-."

 _"_ _The Venators,"_ Bobby filled in _. "Her family's been hunting for generations."_

"Until about 12 years ago," Sam said. "It's like they just fell off the grid."

 _"_ _Well one of em's been sleeping in my spare room for almost half that,"_ Bobby sighed.

"So what happened? Why'd she come and find me and Dean?" Sam asked.

 _"_ _We got in an argument,"_ Bobby said with a deflated sigh. _"_ _I told her I wouldn't help her with her brother's case. She told me she'd find someone who will."_

"Why wouldn't you help her?" Sam asked.

 _"_ _Don't get me wrong, Sam, I'm all for being optimistic. But he's been gone for over five years,"_ Bobby said and Sam could have sworn he heard his voice crack. _"_ _I'm not gonna give her false hope that she'll find him."_

"So you don't think Dean and I should take the case?" Sam asked.

 _"_ _Honestly, it's up to you. I doubt anyone would be able to talk her out of it_ ," Bobby said, almost defeatedly.

"She ever hunted before?" Sam asked.

 _"_ _I know she did a bit with her brother back in the day, and she's salted and burned a few corpses. Nothing big,"_ Bobby said. _"_ _She's a hell of a shot though."_ Sam smiled at the hint of proudness in Bobby's voice. It was clear he cared about her a lot.

 _"_ _I'll keep that in mind,"_ Sam said with a chuckle. _"_ _Speak to you soon."_

 _"_ _Good luck, Sam,"_ Bobby said finally before hanging up the phone. Sam walked back into the motel room. Once he was there, he filled Dean in on his conversation with Bobby. He was as surprised as Sam had been to discover that Allison was a Venator.

"She really been living with him all this time and we had no idea?" Dean asked.

"Yep," Sam replied, slumping into a chair by the table and running a hand over his face. He felt exhausted.

"So what happened?" Dean asked. "He refused to help so she took off?"

"Pretty much," Sam said. "He thinks there's no hope in finding her brother. And with regards to us taking the case, he says we can decide." Dean scoffed.

Yeah, well that's not happening," he said.

"What?" Sam asked in surprise. "You don't think we should take the case?"

"No Sam, of course not," Dean replied.

"Why?"

"Because if we take the case, she's gonna wanna stick around for it. And you know what's gonna happen then?" Dean asked, raising his voice. "She's gonna end up dead. And that blood will be on our hands."

"But Dean -."

"I don't need someone else to look after," Dean said. Sam was a little taken aback my Dean's statement. Did Dean really see him as such a burden?

"Okay," Sam said. "I uh, I'm gonna go see if she's okay." He left the room without another word, making his way down the corridor to the room Allison had slept in the night before. He knocked on the door and when there was no reply, he swung the door open.

Sam walked into the motel room, dreading the conversation he was about to have. He knew it was unlikely that Dean would back down and take the girls case, let alone let her tag along for it. He knew Dean thought the whole idea was ridiculous. Sam himself wasn't sure that he didn't either.

He found the girl sitting cross legged on the edge of the bed, photograph in her hand. As Sam stepped closer to her, he could see two figures: one a much younger version of the girl before him, no more than 4 or 5 years of age. The other was older, though still didn't look to be a teenager yet. He held a similarly giggly expression on his face as the girl and apart from the much darker hair, the resemblance was startling. Same nose, same smile, same clear blue eyes.

"That's a cute picture," Sam said softly as he stood at the edge of the bed. Allison smiled small without looking up, her thumb grazing over her brother's face on the paper.

"What's his name?" Sam felt silly asking the question, realising he probably should have asked sooner.

"Tyler," Allison replied, continuing to look at the photograph fondly. Sam remained silent for a long moment, debating in his head whether he should just forget about what he wanted to say and leave her alone. He sighed inwardly, realising that wasn't an option.

"Allison uh, about your brother." He paused, scratching the back of his head with his right hand. Allison looked away from the picture for the first time, turning her attention to Sam. She met his eyes, looking expectantly at him. Sam noticed her eyes had grown darker since the photo had been taken.

"Look, I know this is gonna be hard to hear," he took a moment, considering his words. "Tyler's been missing for over five years," he said, sitting himself down on the bed beside her. She frowned at him, still not understanding what he was trying to say. "Allison, I know you miss your brother but the likelihood of us finding him alive is-."

"I know," Allison said, cutting Sam off. He was taken aback by her words, having expected her to argue with him.

"You know?"

"I'm not some teary-eyed child clinging on to false hope, Sam. I know I'm not getting Tyler back." She took a breath, folding the photograph in half and slipping it into the pocket of her jacket. "I just…I just wanna know what happened to him. And I will, whatever it takes," she said, her voice determined. "Whether you and Dean choose to help me or not." Sam stared at her.

"I'm gonna find the bastard that hurt my family," Allison said. Her voice wasn't raised, but it held grief, anger and vengeance, a combination of emotions Sam knew all too well. "And when I do, I'm not just gonna send him back to hell." She paused, as if to make her words seem even more sincere. "I'm gonna erase him from the fucking universe."

* * *

 **AN: Hope you liked it, let me know what you thought. Much love x**


	2. Chapter 2 - Chance

Allison Venator wasn't exactly your standard 16-year-old girl. By the age of nine she had already helped defeat a vengeful spirit. She had shot her first rifle at the age of seven (a Winchester which she now thought highly amusing). The other thing that made Allison unusual was her distinct lack of blood relatives. Coming from a long line of hunters, she found it difficult to imagine that she was the last one left. In her head, she imagined that she had several distant uncles in Europe who were fighting off wendigos and shapeshifters at that every moment.

She recalled the day she had moved into Bobby Singer's spare room, the man she now considered family seeming like a stranger at the time. Bobby and her father had been great friends and even partners on a few cases. She thought it a shame that she had never been able to see them together much, her father having passed away a long time ago. Although they tended to argue a lot (like she imagined she would if he was her actual father) they did seem to get along incredibly well. Allison had a tremendous amount of respect for the man who had practically raised her since she was eleven. She also admired the fact that he was a great hunter.

"What the hell is this thing?" Dean asked, irritated by the case they had now been working on for nearly a week. Allison was pulled from her thoughts but Dean's outburst and sat up from her position lying on Sam's bed. She had wanted to stay in her own room but Dean had demanded she did not leave his sight until he had delivered her safely back to Bobby. All in all, Allison felt more like a package that had been stamped fragile than a hunter.

"Maybe we're just thinking about it too much," Sam suggested. "Maybe its simpler than we think." The two had become even more stressed about the case after Allison had turned up three days ago. Since then, another person had been found dead, this time not in the house, though the markings on the body had been similar to the second victim.

"It's not a ghost, that's for sure," Allison said as she examined the forensic photographs of one of the bodies. Dean and Sam both turned to look at her, surprised by her remark. The girl had barely spoken since Dean had told her she would be going back to Bobby's as soon as they had finished the case. In fact, he had wanted her gone sooner, but he couldn't bring himself to abandon the case when people in this town were dropping like flies.

"Yeah, thanks for that," Dean grumbled. "Any other bright ideas?" Allison rolled her eyes.

"If you don't want my help, that's fine," she said icily.

"Wonderful," Dean replied. She rolled her eyes again.

"Why did you think it was a ghost anyway?" Allison asked. Dean sighed.

"Husband reported cold spots," Dean said, remembering his first conversation with the man.

"Maybe he was lying?" Allison suggested.

"Why would he lie about that?" Dean asked, feeling like the conversation was leading nowhere useful. Allison shrugged.

"People lie all the time." Dean rolled his eyes. "Think about it," she continued. "The guy just lost his wife and he's banging on about cold spots?"

"She has a point, Dean," Sam said. Dean released a breath.

"Fine, we'll check out the husband," he said, grabbing his father's journal and his coat. Allison did the same, shoving her feet into her boots. "You are not coming," Dean said when he noticed what she was doing.

"Why not?" the girl replied with a scowl.

"You don't exactly look like an FBI agent," Dean said.

"Maybe she could just wait in the car?" Sam suggested.

"No, Sam," Dean barked. The three fell silent. "Stay here," he instructed Allison who glared at him before lying back down on the bed in annoyance.

The Winchester brothers exited the motel room and made their way to the parking lot where the impala sat. Dean took the driver's seat without a word, still feeling irritated with the whole 'Allison' situation. He found the silence from Sam almost as infuriating. The younger Winchester sat awkwardly in the passenger seat, his shoulder's tense.

"If you have something to say, just say it," Dean said as he pulled out of the parking lot. Sam sighed.

"You should lay off her," he said. "She's just trying to help."

"We don't need her help, Sam, she's a kid," Dean said.

"And we weren't when we started?" Sam argued. "We could just help her find out what happened to her brother. Maybe we could use her?" Dean shook his head. "Bobby says she's a hell of a shot."

"Shooting at cans is different from killing a monster, Sam," Dean said.

"I know that. But don't you think we should give her a chance?" Sam asked.

"A chance at what? Revenge?" Dean shouted. "We both know what that road leads too."

"Come on, Dean. Bobby said it himself, he's basically raised her since her brother died," Sam said. "I mean she's practically family!"

"Yeah and you know what happens to our family?" Dean asked angrily. "They end up dead, Sammy."

"We could just give her a few weeks to-."

"No. She's a kid," Dean repeated. "She's inexperienced and she's a liability. I don't need someone else to worry about."

"Dean…"

"No Sam! I said no," Dean said, cutting Sam off once again. "As soon as we finish this case she's going right back to where she came from." The two fell silent in the car, Dean regretting getting cross with his brother but knowing it was for the best. Allison couldn't stay with them.

"Fine," Sam said finally. "I'll drop her off at Bobby's this weekend."

"Right, well now we got that out of the way, what the hell are we hunting?" Dean said, trying to change the subject. Sam sighed, realising he needed to remain civil with his brother if they were going to get through the case without another person turning up dead.

"I dunno, I've been trying to find something in Dad's journal but so far, nada," Sam said.

"We think it's the husband, right? So maybe some kind of god sacrificing people?" Dean suggested.

"Yeah maybe," Sam said, but he wasn't so sure. "What if it's not the husband?" Dean frowned.

"I thought we just said-."

"No, what if it is the husband, but the husband's not the husband," Sam explained.

"You mean like a shifter?" Dean asked.

"I mean, it's possible, right?" Dean pulled up outside the house belonging to the first victim's family.

"There's only one way to find out," Dean said as he stepped out of the impala and made his way around to the trunk. He opened it, looking through the weapons to see if he could find what he was looking for. "Got it," he said as he drew the silver blade from the bag.

"What are you gonna do, stab him?" Sam asked incredulously.

"No, I'll make sure first," Dean said. "Then I'll stab him." The two made their way onto the porch, Sam knocking on the door as he held his breath. The man answered the door after a few moments, looking a little apprehensive when he saw it was the two FBI agents again. Sam and Dean were on red alert, watching for any signs that this man was lying.

"Hi, Mr Greene," Sam said. "As you probably know, there's been another attack and we were wondering if we could ask you a few more questions."

"Of course," he said nervously. "Come in." Mr Greene lead them through to the living room where they both took a seat on the couch in the same way they had almost a week ago when they had first discovered the case.

"Mr Greene," Sam started. "Where were you yesterday evening, around 8:30?"

"Is this some kind of interrogation?" he asked, his fingers scratching on the fabric of the couch.

"Just routine questions," Dean reassured.

"I was here, with my girls," he said, referring to his two daughters.

"Of course," Sam said. "Are they here?"

"There at the neighbours," he replied. "I needed some time."

"I understand," Sam replied, giving him an assuring smile. "And you didn't hear anything around that time?" he asked. "No screams, no cars outside?"

"No, nothing," he replied. Dean noted how his forehead seemed to glisten with sweat. His blinking was funny too, like he was trying not to too often. He was clearly hiding something.

"Okay, that's all we need," Dean said, sending Mr Greene a fake smile. "Thank you for your time." Dean stretched his hand out, the blade poking out of his sleeve just enough for it to be able to touch the man's palm when he shook his hand.

Mr Greene looked hesitant, but finally grasped Dean's hand firmly and shook it. Nothing happened. Dean frowned before nodding to Sam that it was time to leave.

* * *

Sam and Dean arrived back to the motel to find Allison asleep at the table, her head resting on the key board of Sam's computer. A pen was still in her hand, the nib resting on a post-it note

"Hey Kiddo," Dean called, causing the girl to jolt awake. She squinted at the bright light invading her eyes.

"Hmm?" she murmured, rubbing her eyes. "What happened?"

"Well the guy's not a shifter, but he's definitely hiding something," Dean said, grabbing a beer for himself and offering one to Sam which he declined.

"Were you on my computer?" Sam asked, narrowing his eyes at the girl and ignoring what Dean was saying.

"Yeah," she said flatly. "I wouldn't've had to if you hadn't failed to mention that the house is right next to the town cemetery." She turned the screen around so they could both see, her finger pointing to the house on a map.

"So?" Dean asked.

"I dunno, I just figured that would be important," she said with a shrug. She continued to wrack her brains, trying to think of anything that it could be. A Vetala? No, they're vulnerable to silver. Nachzehrer? Possibly. But she still felt like they were missing something. Through her thoughts she could vaguely hear Sam and Dean discussing the whether it could be a Rugaru. She hoped not.

Then, all of a sudden, the thought hit her like a bullet, and she yelled for Sam and Dean. "You need to get back to the house right now," she said. "Like right now."

"Why?" Sam asked. "What is it?"

"Because I think the real Mr Greene could still be alive," Allison said. Sam and Dean looked at her sceptically.

"How?" Dean asked. "We already ruled out shapeshifter."

"Because it's not a shifter," she replied. "It's a ghoul."

"A ghoul?" Dean asked.

"They can take the form of anyone they've fed off of, even if they're still alive. They usually hang around graveyards but I guess this one decided to go for a wonder."

"How do we kill it?" Sam asked urgently.

"Head shots," Dean replied grimly.

"Go," Allison urged.

"Wait a second," Dean said. "How can we be sure you know what you're talking about? That it really is a ghoul?"

"I do," she said. "We don't have time for this, you need to go. Now!" Dean hesitated before nodding to Sam that they should leave. He worried that maybe he had been a fool to listen to a sixteen-year-old girl about how to kill the monster they were fighting, but something in her eyes made him change his mind. Something told him he could trust her.

* * *

As soon as they arrived back at the house, Dean kicked the door open, storming in to the living room. There was no sign of Mr Greene.

"Dean," Sam whispered, signally to the stairs. Dean nodded, heading over and quietly making his way up, riffle at the ready. Sam stayed down stairs to continue to look for the ghoul.

Dean found his way to the landing, carefully stepping on the creaky floorboards to make as little noise as possible. Suddenly, a body slammed into him, knocking him onto his back. The Mr Gre- the ghoul was now on top of him, a knife in his hand as he tried to stab Dean.

"Get off me, you son of a bitch," Dean shouted as he hit the ghoul in the head with the butt of his riffle. The ghoul fell back and Dean was able to shoot it in the chest, though this didn't do much to slow it down.

"I had a feeling you and your partner weren't who you said you were," the ghoul said. Dean scoffed.

"I know what you mean," he said, whacking it over the head. It recovered quickly, slashing out with the knife and cutting Dean's arm, though the wound wasn't very deep. "You're a bit sloppy for a ghoul, aren't you?"

"The woman was a mistake," he said. "But she figured out I wasn't her husband."

"Did you kill him too?" Dean asked. The ghoul smirked but didn't give an answer, only hitting Dean in the face again. The blow was hard and Dean wasn't able to recover before the ghoul sent another blow to his chest, sending him down the stair. Dean groaned in pain when he hit the bottom, his chest feeling tight after being winded.

"Dean!" Sam yelled when he noticed his brother on the floor.

"Go get that bastard," Dean said pulling himself to his feet. Sam nodded, running up the stairs. Dean followed soon after once he had his bearings. Sam was doing pretty well with it, but the ghoul had the upper hand like he had done with Dean.

"Hey!" Dean yelled, temporarily distracting the ghoul, giving Dean enough time to fire the riffle, blowing the monster's head off instantly. The body crumpled to the floor with a thud.

"You alright," Dean asked Sam as he caught his breath.

"Yeah, you?" Sam asked. Dean nodded. "I heard a noise in the basement, I think it could be Mr Greene."

The pair made their way down the stairs, busting open the basement door with the help of a bullet before rushing down the stairs. The room was pitch black and smelt damp, a feint sound of a dripping pipe in the distance. Sam pulled out a flash light, sighing in relief when they saw a very much alive Mr Greene.

* * *

She sighed once again as she rolled over onto her back and kicked the covers to her feet. Allison wasn't the kind of girl who usually found it hard to sleep, but ever since the start of the beginning of her week with the Winchester brothers she had found it hard to get a regular amount of shut eye.

She wasn't sure what exactly it was about the two hunters that kept her so on edge. Maybe it was the way Sam's reassuring smiles at her never quite reached his eyes. Maybe it was the way Dean tried to avoid her at all cost. It was true that Allison and the eldest Winchester had started off on the wrong foot but she had hoped (and she thought Sam had too) that they would find a way to be civil with each other.

It problem wasn't exactly the fact that they argued. Truth be told, they had their fair share of spats but they had never really argued in the way she assumed two people who didn't get along would. The problem was the fact that Allison and Dean pretty much acted like the other didn't exist. Dean would nod to her in the mornings and tell her to stay put in the motel every now and again, but other than those hasty interactions, she had barely spoken more than a sentence to him since the first day she had met the Winchesters nearly a week ago.

Her relationship with Sam was moderately better. They chatted and talked and it was obvious to Allison that the younger brother pitied her somewhat. She wasn't sure that she liked it but at least he tried.

She had even caught Sam talking to Dean about letting her stay with them for a couple of weeks, the thin motel walls lending themselves perfectly to eavesdropping. She remembered Sam telling Dean he needed to suck it up and push back any sour feelings he had with her if they were going to make the situation work. However, each time Sam had brought it up Dean had insisted that he was handling things and that Sam just needed to back off until she was gone. Allison didn't like the fact that she had been the cause of some upset between the two brothers. She found it made the already uncomfortable situation even worse.

She rolled over once more and swung her legs over the edge of the bed so she could sit up. She ran her hands through her dirty blonde hair before rubbing them over her face. The circumstances under which she had come to meet the Winchesters didn't help to make their current state of affairs any easier either. She had basically asked two strangers to help her find what killed her brother. The only reason she had even tried to find them was because Bobby refused and she remembered all the stories he had told her about John and his sons.

That's how she had found herself meeting the Winchesters. And that was then how she was going to find herself back in her room at Bobby's house at that time tomorrow.

Allison slid off of the bed and made her way to the door, gently cracking it open so as not to wake the sleeping Winchesters in the room next to her. The automatic light flickered on outside the motel room, the darkness suddenly being illuminated. A figure leant against the balcony railing and she gasped, not having expected to have company.

Dean looked up from the beer in his hand, his eyes narrowed at the girl as his pupils adjusted to the sudden brightness. Allison noted the two other unopened bottles at his feet.

"Sorry," she started as she hovered by the door, not sure whether she should go back in or not. "I didn't think anyone would be up."

Dean nodded as he took a sip of his beer, his eyes not leaving the girl at the door. Although she had been with them for almost a week now and she was practically Bobby's daughter, Dean was still weary of her. He and his brother still didn't know much about the girl who had unexpectedly knocked on their door and he still didn't fully trust her, although it was clear his brother did. He knew his feelings were probably irrational, she was just a kid after all, but Dean knew all too well that you could never be too careful.

He also knew that something needed to change. His relationship with his brother had been rocky since Allison had arrived. All Sam ever seemed to talk about now was how they were making a mistake in taking her back to Bobby's and that they should give her a chance. All he knew is that the girl would be out their hair by the end of the weekend and safely back at Bobby's. Then all the stress of the situation would be over and he and Sam could go back to normal.

"You alright," he asked her offhandedly and she knew he didn't really care for the answer. She knew the real question he was asking: 'why are you here disturbing my late-night drinking session?'

"Couldn't sleep," she said flatly. Dean raised his eyebrows at her before deciding to let it go. The man before her leant away from the railing where he was resting and went to put the empty bottle in the trash. As he did, Allison noticed that he was dressed in only sweatpants and a Metallica t-shirt. "Did everything go okay on the hunt?" she questioned, trying to fill the uncomfortable silence.

"Yeah," Dean replied turning around to face her. He contemplated congratulating her for figuring out what the thing that was killing people was but decided against it, simply adding, "it was a ghoul" to let her know she was right. "And we found Mr Greene in the basement. He's back with his family now." She nodded.

Dean leant down to grab another beer, using the metal railing to crack it open. As he did, Allison noticed his sharp intake of breath as if in pain. She frowned, carefully watching the rise and fall of his chest as best she could. It seemed a little too shallow. She also noted how his body was awkwardly resting on the railing in a kind of slumped way. Allison had only ever seen someone need to support themselves like that for one of two reasons: they were drunk or in pain. She considered whether in Dean's case it could be both but decided that it was unlikely someone like Dean could get drunk from one beer, if at all.

"Did something happen on the hunt?" she asked in concern, feeling a little more confidence than she usually did around the elder Winchester.

"No," Dean said quickly before coughing and trying to play it cool. "It all went smoothly."

"Really?" Allison asked sceptically.

"Yeah, really," Dean replied. "Why?"

"You're leaning on the railing with your left arm, your breathing is shallower than usual and I've never seen a hunter wince when they drink beer,' she said flatly.

"You been stalking me or something?" he asked with a raised eyebrow. She scoffed.

"I've been here nearly a week and we've barely spoken," she deadpanned. "Your mannerisms are all I have to go on." She took a breath. "I know something's going on."

"There's nothing going on," he warned.

"Please, it's a classic case of 'Dean's hiding something and doesn't want Sam to find out about it'."

"Hey, don't act like you know me, you don't know a damn thing!" he bellowed but she didn't let it faze her.

"And now you're getting defensive," Allison said and he sighed, looking down and pinching his nose. He looked like he was tired, and not just because it was the middle of the night. "Look, either you tell me or you're going to have to answer to Sam tomorrow." He didn't reply, simply looking at her with an annoyed expression he pulled when he knew he had lost. "Come on, let me take a look."

She pushed him towards a bench and although Allison thought he appeared irritated by her semi manhandling, he didn't resist. He took a seat and she gestured for him to raise his right arm above his head. She tentatively guided his arm up, hand holding firmly to his elbow. She stopped briefly when she saw him wince and muttered a quick "sorry" under her breath.

"You sure you're qualified for this?" Dean asked apprehensively. She chuckled.

"My brother was pretty accident prone when we were growing up," Allison said, smiling a little as she thought of the memory. "I remember this one time when I was six he tried to slide all the way down the banister. Broke his arm in two places." Her chest tightened at the memory.

"Ouch," Dean laughed, trying to lighten the mood when he saw her solemn expression.

"Yeah," she replied, smiling a little at his comment though it didn't reach her eyes. She pressed her hand to his side, moving her thumb over each intercostal space carefully, but firmly, Dean murmuring to her when he felt pain. Dean was surprised at how competent she seemed as she told him to breathe in and out. If he didn't know any better, he would've thought she was a med student at least.

"It's pretty reckless," Dean started suddenly as Allison continued to prod his rib cage with her fingers. "Doing what you're doing." She blinked a few times though didn't look up to meet his eyes.

"He's my brother, he's all I have," she said. "I have to find what killed him."

"Revenge is a dangerous road to go down," Dean told her, his voice taking on a serious tone. He needed her to understand the danger of her recklessness and frankly, suicidal behaviour. She sighed.

"This isn't about revenge, Dean. I just - I wanna know what happened to him." She lifted his shirt slightly, taking a peak at his ribs without seeming too intrusive. She frowned at the large purple bruise that had started to form on his side.

"Is it really worth it to you?" Dean asked as Allison pulled the flannel back down. She seemed deep in thought for a moment before she looked up at Dean, the two making eye contact for the first time that night.

"If it were Sam, would it be worth it to you?" she asked him. Dean stared at her, her questing hitting an uncomfortable spot inside him. If it were Sam, would it be worth it? Dean didn't even need to think twice: of course, it would be. Allison lowered her gaze before standing up straight, not waiting for Dean's reply.

"You have a cracked rib," she said, her diagnosing complete. "Better lay off the hunting for a few weeks," she told him with a small smirk which Dean replied to with an eye roll. Dean watched as she made her way back to the motel room.

"Night, Ali," he said with a small smile. She frowned. When did he start calling her Ali? Not that she minded, she preferred it when people used her nickname.

"Night, Dean," she said quietly, her door clicking shut behind her.

* * *

"You got 2 months," Dean's voice said as he walked through the motel door. Sam had been helping Ali pack up her stuff to go home whilst Dean went out to buy them all breakfast. The two looked up at the eldest Winchester.

"What?" Ali asked with a frown.

"2 months," he repeated. "That's all you're getting. We try and find the son-of-a-bitch who killed your brother and if we find nothing in 2 months, you go straight back to Bobby's and stop, okay?" Ali stared at Dean in shock. Was he really giving her a chance?

"Seriously?" she asked, a little sceptical. "You're letting me stick around?" Dean blinked slowly as if he knew he was going to regret his decision,

"Yeah," he signed. "But any hunts we do on the way, you're sitting out," he explained. "You do exactly as I say, you're not gonna complain and you're not gonna do anything stupid, okay?"

Ali nodded, trying to supress the grin that was forming on her face.

"2 months, that's it," he said before walking over to the table and pulling his burger out of the paper bag. Ali turned to Sam who smiled at her as he sent her a wink.

 _2 months_ , Ali thought.

She could work with that.

* * *

 **AN: So that was chapter 2! Hope you liked it :)**

 **Let me know what you thought, much love x**


	3. Chapter 3 - The Benders

(3 months later)

Ali's delicate fingers clasped roughly around the neck of the bottle. She had just seen Sam pour himself a glass of the brown liquid and was hoping to have a glass herself. Bobby had often described it as 'petrol for hunters' and she had heard Dean call it hunter's helper more times than she could remember. Given this and the fact that she considered herself to be included in that bracket, she thought it was only fair that she had a glass herself.

'Whoa, Ali, no way,' Sam said, putting his glass on the table and running over to prize the whisky bottle out of her hand.

'What?' Ali asked, wondering what the issue was.

'You're not old enough to drink this,' Sam said, firmly placing the bottle on the table too.

'I'm not a kid, Sam,' Ali shot back, narrowing her eyes at him.

'You're not twenty-one, either' he replied, bending down to look her in the eye, trying his best to be as patronising as possible. Over the months she had been with them, he had found that this was the best way to get under her skin when he wanted to.

'Please, what are you like two years older than me?' she argued back, crossing her arms to enhance her glare. 'And I bet you were younger than me when you started drinking whisky.'

'Actually, I'm six years older than you and no, I wasn't younger than you,' Sam said back.

'That's bullshit!'

'Cut it out, Ali!' Dean barked from across the motel room. He'd had enough of the two bickering. As far as he was concerned, they were both children. 'Sam's right, you're not old enough to drink.' Sam straightened up, a smug look on his face as Dean made his way over, downing the remains of his own glass of whisky.

'But Dean…'

'I said no!' he repeated as he stared down the girl. Sam had wandered off back to his bed, smug expression still in place. Ali stared back at Dean, her stubbornness radiating off of her. She looked pissed and although he didn't always like it, he admired her for attempting to stand up to Sam. He broke the staring match and crouched by the mini fridge, swinging the door open to retrieve himself a cold El Sol. He peered over the door and caught Ali's gaze again, a smirk pulling at his lips. 'You want a beer?' Dean watched as an equally wide smirk took over the girl's face and he held out an opened bottle to her. Sam groaned somewhere behind her.

'Cheers,' she said as she clunked her bottle against his and took a large sip, the liquid slipping down her throat like honey.

* * *

(two weeks later)

"So you think this guy got kidnapped?" Ali asked as they drove passed the sign for Hibbing, Minnesota. She was sat in the middle of the back seat, elbows resting on the seat in front so she could talk to the two brothers.

"That's what it looks like," Sam replied as he looked at the news report he had printed off the internet.

"And this kid saw him get taken?" she asked.

"Yeah," Sam said. "We're gonna talk to him now." Ali leaned over the front seat and picked the fake ID out of Sam's lap, examining it carefully. She smirked at it, loving the excitement she felt at the prospect of another hunt, even if she wasn't going to be a part of it. She looked down at the small square photo of Sam, the letters F.B.I written along the edge.

"When do I get one of these?" she asked, handing it back to Sam.

"Never," Dean replied flatly and Sam chuckled. "Put your seat belt on," Dean instructed. Ali glared at the back of Dean's head as she slumped back onto the seat.

Soon, the impala had pulled up outside a block of apartments where the man had supposedly disappeared. Ali lounged on the leather seats as Sam and Dean changed into their sheriff's uniforms. Her fingers found the toy soldier that had been jammed in the ash tray and she smiled at it. She had noticed it the first time she rode in the back seat of the impala but had yet to find out which of the Winchesters put it there. In her head, she had decided it must have been Sam – she couldn't imagine Dean ever sitting in the back of his baby.

She was dragged from her thoughts when Dean knocked on the window. She opened the door so she could talk to him.

"We're gonna go talk to the kid," he said, adjusting the sheriff's hat on his head. "Stay in the-."

"Yeah I know," Ali said flatly. "Stay in the car, don't get involved, blah blah blah." Dean rolled his eyes at the teenager as she sank back into the seat, only stopping to give him a sarcastic salute.

"You want me to roll down a widow?" he called to her over the sound of Sam shutting the trunk, a smirk on his face.

"You want me to key your car?" Ali retorted, feeling satisfied when Dean glared at her through the glass. Sam shook his head at the two before hurrying Dean up. They had work to do.

* * *

The Winchester brothers stood in the living room of the apartment, boy and mother before them.

"I know you're just doing your job, but the police have been here all week already," Mrs McKay explained. "I don't see why we have to go through this again. The more he tells the story, the more he believes it's true." Both Dean and Sam could clearly see that the mother was growing irritated.

"Mrs. McKay, we know you spoke with the local authorities," Sam started.

"But, uh, this seems like a matter for the state police, so…." Dean finished. They turned towards her son.

"Don't worry about how crazy it sounds, Evan. You just tell us what you saw," Sam said.

"I was up late, watching TV. When I heard this weird noise," the kid said. Sam frowned.

"What did it sound like?" he asked.

"It sounded like…." He paused, a tormented look on his face. It was clear how scared he was. "Like a monster."

* * *

Ali had always liked bars, finding the whisky air and the stale smell of an ash tray strangely comforting. Maybe it was because she associated it with the smell of her father when she would crawl onto his lap as a child and wrap her arms around him when he came home from a hunt. Maybe it was the fact that Bobby seemed to always have a bottle of whisky open. She wasn't sure which one of these men she associated the smell with as she entered Kugel's Key behind the Winchesters. Maybe it was both of them. Maybe it was just a thing she associated with family.

"He said he saw it pull Mr Jenkins underneath the car," Sam was telling her, filling her in on what they had discovered earlier on. "He said it took him away."

"Don't forget about what he said he heard," Dean interjected as he signalled to the bar tender.

"Right, he said he heard a whining growl," Sam said. Ali frowned.

"That sounds ominous," she replied. "What kind of monster makes a whining growl?"

"That's what we've gotta figure out," Dean replied as he emerged from the group of people standing by the bar. He handed a beer to Sam and a diet coke to Ali which she took with a scowl.

Sam took a seat at the table and immediately took out his computer, searching to find out any more information on the case he could. "Well since you don't look like you're gonna be much fun…" Dean said, making a face, "Ali, you wanna have another go at trying to beat me at darts?" He smirked at her teasingly and she glared back.

"If you're referring to that one time in Michigan, I was distracted," she shot back.

"You completely missed the board," Dean said, chuckling a little. "We had to give the owner fifty bucks for damages." Ali maintained her hard stare. "So are we playing or not?"

Ali took a sip of her drink as she stood up, marching over to the board and pulling three darts out. "21 or around the clock?" she asked. Dean looked thoughtful for a moment.

"How about highest score from three darts?" he asked. "First to 5?"

"This is gonna end badly," Sam remarked under his breath as Ali agreed and the game began. Ali wasn't bad at darts, having had a lot of practice over the last four months. Her hunting also helped along with the fact that she was an excellent shot. Given this, she could put up a fairly reasonable fight, although Dean nearly always won, resulting in Ali sulking for the next few days.

Ali went first, her three darts narrowly missing the triple twenty and giving her a score of 55. Dean grinned, hitting the 25 and bullseye with his first two darts.

"So, local police have not ruled out foul play," Sam said after finding a news report. "Apparently, there were signs of a struggle."

"Well, they could be right, it could just be a kidnapping," Dean replied as he threw his next set of darts. "Maybe this isn't our kind of gig."

"Yeah, maybe not," Sam replied. Ali listened in to their conversation as she had her turn, taking her first win with 123. "Except for this—Dad marked the area, Dean." Dean frowned, picking his darts out of the cork board and walking over to the table. Sam had their father's journal out and was examining the pages carefully. "Possible hunting grounds of a phantom attacker," Sam read.

"Why would he even do that?" Dean asked.

"Well, he found a lot of local folklore about a dark figure that comes out at night. Grabs people, then vanishes," Sam explained. "He found this too—this county has more missing persons per capita than anywhere else in the state."

"That is weird," Ali said, coming over to the table to join in the conversation. "But don't phantom attackers usually snatch people from their beds?" she questioned. "That kid said Jenkins was taken from a parking lot."

"Well, there are all kinds. You know, Springhill Jacks, phantom gassers. They take people anywhere, anytime," Sam replied. "Look, Dean, I don't know if this is our kind of gig either."

"Yeah, you're right," Dean said, taking another sip of his beer. "We should ask around more tomorrow."

"Right," Sam replied, taking out his wallet as he stood up. "I saw a motel about five miles back."

"Whoa, whoa, easy," Dean said with a grin. "Let's have another round."

"We should get an early start," Sam said. Ali rolled her eyes at him.

"Yeah, you really know how to have fun, don't you, Grandma?" Dean asked, causing Ali to chuckle. Sam smiled as he grabbed his coat and started packing up his laptop. "Alright, we'll meet you outside," Dean said. "Me and Ali are just gonna finish this game." Sam shook his head at the two who immediately went back to their game. He thought it amusing and somehow endearing how competitive they were with each other. He packed up the last of his things and made his way out of the bar into the night.

* * *

"I let you win," Dean argued as he and Ali walked to the impala.

"Right, of course you did," she replied with a large smile on her face. It had been four all and Ali had managed to win the last set. To say she would be milking this for a while would be a serious understatement. They arrived at the car and Ali frowned. There was no sign of Sam.

"Look," Dean whispered, pointing to something on the hood of the car. When they reached it, Ali's stomach sank to the ground. It was John's journal.

"Sam?" Dean called as he grabbed the journal from the car and pulled open the door, checking to see if Sam was inside. He wasn't. Sam was gone.

Ali stood frozen as Dean ran to the entrance of the bar, trying to ask a couple who was leaving if they had seen anything. Seeing Dean this panicked made Ali even more panicked. She had been through this before. How could Sam just be gone?

She snapped out of her daze, frantically running to another group of people. "Did you see someone out here earlier?" she asked the group, clearly desperate. The group of people shrugged and walked away. She could hear Dean yelling for his brother so she decided she would too.

"Sam!" she yelled, trying to look through the darkness to see if she could see anything. A shadow, a movement, anything. There was nothing. She ran to Dean as they both continued to shout for Sam.

"Dean," she said suddenly, pointing up to a surveillance camera outside the bar. They ran to the centre of the road to see if they could spot a car or van that could have taken him. There were no vans. The road was deserted. There was no sign of him.

* * *

Dean sat uncomfortably in the chair as the deputy examined his fake I.D.

"So, what can we do for you, Officer Washington?" the deputy asked, the fake I.D. working like a charm.

"I'm working a missing persons," Dean replied as he interlocked his fingers in his lap, leaning back into the chair.

"I didn't know the Jenkins case was being covered by the state police," she replied, misinterpreting Dean's response.

"Oh, no. No, there's someone else," Dean corrected. "Actually, it's my cousin. We were havin' a few last night at this bar down by the highway. And I haven't seen him since." Dean kept his cool but the undertones of panic and distress for his brother in his words were still detectable.

"Does your cousin have a drinking problem?" she asked. Dean shook his head, a little amused.

"Sam? Two beers and he's doin' karaoke," he said. The deputy smiled.

"No, he wasn't drunk," Dean confirmed. "He was taken." The deputy nodded before turning towards her computer.

"Alright. What's his name?"

"Sam Winchester," he replied.

"Like the rifle?" she asked.

"Like the rifle." The deputy entered the younger Winchester's name into her computer and found the police record. Dean tensed a little, having a feeling about what she would find. He hoped it wouldn't be detrimental to him finding his brother.

"Samuel Winchester," she read, having found his profile. "So, you know that his brother, Dean Winchester, died in St. Louis," she paused as her eyes scanned the rest of the page. "And, uh, was suspected of murder." Dean cleared his throat, scratching the back of his neck as he tried to appear casual.

"Yeah, Dean. Kind of the black sheep of the family," he said a little awkwardly. "Handsome, though." Dean's shoulders tensed a little at the sound of snort of poorly suppressed laughter behind him. He cursed himself for letting her sit in – he should have left her in the car.

"Uh-huh," the deputy replied sceptically. "Who's the kid?" she asked, nodding towards Ali who was sitting behind Dean by the wall. He turned his head to look at her, shooting her a hard stare that said 'let me do the talking.' He had tried to get her to stay in the motel room earlier, but she had refused. He knew it was pointless asking anyway – she cared about Sam almost as much as he did.

"That's my uh…," Dean trailed off as he turned back around to face the deputy. "My niece."

"Your niece?" the deputy asked, raising an eyebrow.

"She's just along for the ride," Dean said, plastering a fake smile on his face. Ali rolled her eyes.

"Well, he's not showing up in any current field reports," the deputy said as she turned back to her computer.

"Oh, I already have a lead," Dean said. "I saw a surveillance camera by the highway."

"Uh-huh. The county traffic cam?" the deputy said.

"Right. Yeah. I'm thinking the camera picked up whatever took him," he told her. "Or, whoever," he added quickly, realising his mistake.

"Well, I have access to the traffic cam footage down at the county works department, but—well, anyhow, let's do this the right way." Dean watched as the deputy stood up and walked to a filing cabinet, pulling out some paperwork. He inwardly groaned. "Why don't you fill out a missing persons report and sit tight over here?" she said, handing him a clipboard.

"Officer, look, uh, he's family," Dean said as he stood up. "I kind of—I kind of look out for the kid. You gotta let me go with you."

"I'm sorry, I can't do that," the deputy said.

"Well, tell me something. Your county has its fair share of missing persons. Any of 'em come back?" Dean asked. She didn't say anything, simply sending him a grim look that told him everything he needed to know. "Sam's my responsibility," Dean said. "And he's coming back. I'm bringing him back."

The deputy stared at him, unsure of what to say. Finally, with a sigh, she nodded her head. "Alright," she said. "You can come with me," she said. "But only you." Ali looked up from her place leaning against the wall, ready to protest.

"I'm not sure that's the best-."

"Officer Washington," she said, interrupting Dean. "She might be your niece, but she's still a minor. I can't take her with us." She sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Okay," he sighed. "You mind if I go drop her off at our motel?" he asked. The deputy nodded.

"Sure," she replied. Dean turned to the door, nodding to Ali to follow him as he walked out of the office.

* * *

Ali sat in the damp motel room, he fingers drumming on the table, showing her anxiousness. She hated this – the waiting. The not knowing. It was her least favourite part of the past 3 months. She couldn't stand waiting for Dean and Sam to return from a hunt, not knowing if she were getting hurt. Not knowing how long they would be. Worried if they'd come back at all.

Right now, all she could think about was the man, Jenkins, who had supposedly been pulled under a car by some kind of monster. She could only think of him and the probability that Sam had met the same fate.

She had wanted to go with Dean desperately. But now, she was stuck in the room. Stuck with her thoughts. The sound of Dean's voice telling her to stay put rang in her ear, like always. It was clear to her that he worried about her – either that or he still didn't trust her fully.

Her thought's drifted to Sam. Where was he? Was he hurt? Was he scared? She didn't know. She didn't think he was dead, but maybe that was more of a hope. She was itching to leave to room, to go and help. The horror of the fact that Dean could get taken by the same thing that Sam did hit her and she wasn't sure how to calm herself down. What if they both got taken?

At that, she decided she didn't care what Dean had said. She grabbed her jacket and the small knife Dean had left her in case of an emergency, and sprinted from the room out to the parking lot. She couldn't see the impala, and she knew Dean would kill her if she ever drove it. Instead, she located a shabby looking motor bike, figuring it would be easy enough to drive. She knew how to hot wire a car, another trick she had learnt from Bobby. She just hoped the bike would be the same.

Within a few minutes, she had the engine going and climbed on, racing out of the parking lot to help her friends.

 _To be continued..._

* * *

 **AN: So I guess the 2 month thing was a lie...**

 **I was gonna do the whole episode in one chapter but it ended up being really long so I split in in half!**

 **I probably won't be following every episode like I have with this one as there are soooo many, and also this story is primarily about Ali and her relationship with the Winchesters and other characters so I don't wanna write things that are just straight from the show. Would love to hear your thoughts on this if you agree? Of course, there are some episodes which are my absolute favourites so I will probably include those ones as well!**

 **Hope you liked this chapter, let me know what you thought! Much love x**


	4. Chapter 4 - Not Knowing

_Continued..._

"Okay," Kathleen, the deputy, said as she pointed to a surveillance camera out of the car window. "The next traffic cam is fifty miles from here, and the pickup didn't pass that one, so…."

"So, it must've pulled off somewhere," Dean said. "I didn't see any other roads here."

"Well, a lot of these backwoods properties have their own private roads," Kathleen replied.

"Great," Dean said, clearly annoyed.

"So, Gregory," she said. Dean turned to look at her, the use of his fake name keeping him on edge.

"Yeah?" he asked.

"I ran your badge number. It's routine when we're working a case with state police. For accounting purposes and what have you," the deputy said. Dean nodded, wondering where this was going. "And, uh, they just got back to me." She pulled over abruptly on the side of the road. "It says here your badge was stolen. And there's a picture of you." Slowly, she turned her computer screen around so Dean could see the picture on it. His bit his lip at the sight of slightly overweight African-American man that clearly wasn't him.

"I lost some weight," Dean said with a nervous chuckle. "And I got that Michael Jackson skin disease."

"Okay, would you step out of the car, please?" she said authoritatively as she took off her seat belt.

"Look, look, look," Dean said, trying to get her to stop. "If you wanna arrest me, that's fine. I'll cooperate, I swear. But, first, please—let me find Sam."

"I don't even know who you are. Or if this Sam person is missing," she said. "For all I know, you abducted that kid!"

"Look into my eyes and tell me if I'm lying about this," Dean said seriously.

"Identity theft? You're impersonating an officer," Kathleen said.

"Look, here's the thing. When we were young, I pretty much pulled him from a fire. And ever since then, I've felt responsible for him. Like it's my job to keep him safe.," Dean said, feeling the need to find and protect his brother. "I'm just afraid if we don't find him fast—please." He paused, thinking back to his promise he had made to his father to look out for his brother. "He's my family."

"I'm sorry. You've given me no choice. I have to take you in," Kathleen said. Suddenly, Dean saw something change in her eyes as she glanced at the sun visor. She sighed deeply, as if she knew she was going to regret her decision. "After we find Sam Winchester." She fastened her seatbelt, Dean looking oddly at her with a confused, but most of all, relieved expression.

* * *

Ali rode along the dusty road, the bikes engine groaning and rattling beneath her. Up ahead, she spotted an old truck pulling out of a semi hidden drive, the engine whining more than the bike's. She pulled over, letting the bike fall to the ground as she made herself disappear into the thick trees as she watched two men emerge from the truck.

Her breath caught in her throat at the site of them. They were both large and Ali guessed that they would be able to break her in half if they managed to get their hands on her. She moved further into the trees, trying to make her foot falls as light as possible so as not to draw any attention to herself.

To her horror, she came across a police car, causing her heart to race. It didn't look old and muddy and Ali guessed it was the one Dean and the deputy had come here in. It was abandoned. There was no sign of Dean or the deputy anymore. She heard laughter through the trees – a sickening laughter that told her whoever it belonged to was certainly crazy. The sound was deranged and hateful. It made her stomach churn. She pressed forward through the wood, soon coming across a run-down house. The wood looked splintered and dark. It was the kind of house that screamed, 'only an idiot would enter this voluntarily.'

She moved around the back of it, spotting an entrance. She took a deep breath, pulling out her knife and holding it tightly in her hand. She was gripping it so tightly that she bet her knuckles would have been deathly white. She realised then that she was afraid, no, terrified. Not just at the idea that there was someone, or something, here that may kill her but the fact that she was certain it had already got Sam and Dean.

But she pushed it down, realising she had to if she was going to be able to gather the courage to enter the house. She took another breath, held her knife up in front of her, and slowly pushed the door open.

The room was dark when she entered it, the only light entering from the open door before it creaked shut. It was jammed full of things – shelves piled high along with unorganised stacks littering the floor. In that moment, she wished she had brought a flash light so she could see more easily, although after examining a jam jar she realised was filled with finger bones, she decided not being able to see everything was a good thing.

Suddenly, she heard a creak from behind her, a creak not caused by her. She whipped around, expecting to see one of the men she had seen earlier standing there with a knife, but all she saw was the empty room. She sighed, holding a hand to her chest to feel her racing heart.

But she panicked again when a hand grabbed around her wrist, another clamping over her mouth as she tried to scream. She thrashed around, trying to get free before she caught sight of who it was: a livid Dean.

She relaxed instantly, though she wasn't sure that he wouldn't kill her for leaving the motel room. "Ali?" he whispered harshly. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Are you trying to give me a heart attack?" she whispered back angrily, her heart pounding in her chest once again.

"Are you?!" he asked. Ali shrugged, it was a fair enough comment. "I told you to stay in the motel. How'd you even get here?"

"A girl's gotta have a few secrets," she quipped back. Dean shot her a warning glare. "Have you seen Sam?" she asked.

"Yeah, he's fine," Dean said with a sigh. Ali released a relieved breath.

"So what was it?" she asked. "What took him?"

"You mean who," Dean said grimly. "They're just people." Ali's stomach twisted, an image of the jar of fingers flashing through her mind. "Which is why you've gotta get outta here."

Ali wanted to protest but seeing how worried Dean looked and the seriousness of his tone, she refrained. "I want you to head out the back and follow the road," he instructed her. "You'll find a barn. Sam's in it." She nodded once, backing away from the eldest Winchester to the door. "And Ali?" Dean said, calling her back. "Be careful."

* * *

Ali followed Dean's instructions exactly, coming across the barn soon enough. She pushed the door open slowly, her eyes adjusting to the dim light. She could hear shuffling further inside the building and she almost ran out again, the fear crawling up inside her.

"Sam," she whispered, seeing if he was there.

"Ali?" She heard her name a moment later, the familiar voice relieving. She made her way further in, spotting Sam in the cage on the floor. She ran to it, her hands clasping around the metal bars.

"Sam, are you okay?" she asked quickly, trying to find a way to get him out.

"Ali, what are you doing here?" he asked in the same tone as Dean, only less pissed.

"Saving your ass," she answered back with smirk. She looked to her right, spotting the deputy from earlier in the cage next to Sam. She stared back at her with a worried expression.

Suddenly, she heard the rustle of footsteps outside the barn, causing panic to arise inside her. She hoped it was Dean with a way of getting the cages open, but something inside her told her it wasn't. Something made her terrified.

"Shit," she managed to gasp out through her shallow breaths.

"Ali, hide," Sam instructed quickly. She turned around, looking for a spot she could conceal herself in. Finding one, she tucked herself behind a wooden pillar, trying to calm her breathing.

She heard the barn door open, heavy footsteps entering. They walked straight over to her and Ali wondered if he was going to kill her. But he stopped on the other side of the pillar, taking out a key and inserting it into some sort of a control panel.

"What are you doing?" she heard Sam asked. Ali had to think fast. This guy was going to kill Sam. She looked around for a weapon that would be better than her tiny knife, an old wooden rake the only thing she thought might work. She held it up as she heard the cage door open, her fingers gripping the wooden shaft for dear life.

She watched as the man raised a gun aimed at Sam. She needed to act quickly, so she arranged her options in her head. She could go for the head – she would probably be able to knock him out. But what if he managed to take a shot before? Maybe she should go for his outstretched hand – knock the gun clean out of it. But then she'd be left with a pissed off angry guy with a broken hand who could probably still kill her. Maybe she should whack him in the stomach – wind him or something. All these thoughts swirled around her mind in a matter of seconds before she heard the deputy shout, "hey!" distracting him and giving her a chance to act.

She didn't have a chance to decide what she would do, going with her instincts as she ran at him, wielding the rake like a baseball bat as she smacked it across the back of his head. She screamed as she did it, a high-pitched scream that was more of an anxious squeak than a war cry. Even so, it did the job and the guy went down.

Sam sprinted from the cage, prising the gun from the man's hands once he was on the floor. All of a sudden, the man sat up, grabbing at Sam. The blow hadn't knocked him out, though he did look a little delirious.

Sam was on top of him now, having got the gun once again. He used the butt of it to hit the guy in the face. Then again and again. Finally, he collapsed to the floor and Sam stood up, trying to fire the gun.

"Damn," he said when it wouldn't work. "Kathleen, you alright?" he called, the deputy shouting back that she was fine. "Ali?" he called, turning his head to look at the girl who was still gripping tightly to the rake, her eyes glued to the unconscious man. She looked up at Sam, seeing his expectant eyes.

"Yeah," she said, nodding multiple times. "I'm fine."

"Nice job," Sam commented as he fiddled with the key in the control panel, trying to get Kathleen's cage open. He finally managed it, the deputy scrambling out as fast as she could. Ali sent her a small smile which she returned with a worried one.

Sam dragged the man's unconscious body into one of the cages, slamming the door shut behind him. He went over to the control panel again. Ali couldn't see what exactly he was doing but within a few minutes, there was a pop and the lights flickered out. Suddenly, the three heard footsteps outside again. They quickly hid themselves, Ali slipping behind a haybale across from Sam.

"Lee! Where are ya?" Ali heard a gravelly voice say from behind the barn door. "Lee!" She looked over to Sam who held a finger to his lips, telling her to remain quiet. The footsteps entered the barn, Ali hearing one pair walk right past her. She held a hand over her mouth to quiet her breathing.

"Damn it, Jared, get the lights!" the voice said again, clearly having discovered the man that must have been Lee in the cage. Ali heard a click, but nothing happened.

"They must have blown the fuses," a second voice said. Ali heard another click, probably one of them trying the control panel. Nothing happened. She then heard a noise from above her and thought it must have been Kathleen.

"Jared," the first voice said. "Go see what that is." A pair of footsteps shuffled away as one came closer. By this point, Ali was trembling, her fingers shaking around the small knife she clutched. She caught Sam's eye who nodded to her once before suddenly jumping out of his hiding spot, kicking the man in the stomach. Ali jumped up too, though she was finding it hard to move, her muscles frozen in fear.

Seeing Sam get whacked across the face with the end of a rifle snapped her out of her terror and she ran to him, helping him off the floor before the man could get in another blow. Once they were up, Ali dragged him away from the man who was now aiming his gun at them. He fired the rifle at them, but Sam pushed Ali away, both of them falling to the ground as another shot rang though their ears.

"Go, go!" Sam shouted, pushing Ali up as the two of them ran into another room, the man not far behind them. As they entered the room, they could see Kathleen on the floor, the other man, Jared, standing over her, gun pointed right at her.

"Hey!" Sam shouted. Jared turned around, spotting the two at the door. He moved his aim, but Ali and Sam managed to duck out of the way before he fired, the bullet narrowly missing them and hitting the man behind them. The bullet buried itself in his leg and he fell to the ground as he groaned in pain. Sam ran to Jared, grabbing the gun out of his hand and hitting him with it several times in the face. His unconscious body fell to the ground with a thump.

* * *

Ali watched as Sam dragged Jared's form into the other cage, closing the door and locking him inside. Then, he walked over to where Ali was standing next to Kathleen, her eyes trained on the older man lying on the floor with a bullet wound in his leg.

"I'll watch this one," she said, the rifle in her hands pointed to the man on the floor. "You go ahead." Sam stared at her without speaking, a concerned look in his eye. "Go ahead." Sam made to leave but turned back when he noticed Ali following him.

"Stay here, okay?" he told her. "I'm gonna go find Dean." Ali nodded reluctantly and watched as Sam left the barn. She turned around, trying not to catch the eye of the man on the ground.

"You should wait outside," Kathleen told her, her eyes glued to the man.

"But Sam said-."

"Wait outside, kid," she repeated in a harsher tone. She had looked up from the man on the floor, her eyes serious and grief stricken. Ali wasn't going to argue with her. She walked outside the barn, leaning against the shabby wood whilst she waited.

"You hurt my family," she heard the man say from inside. She didn't mean to eavesdrop, but she couldn't help it. "I'm gonna bleed you, bitch."

"You killed my brother," she heard Kathleen say weakly, as if she was on the verge of tears. At the mention of her brother, something inside Ali pulled and she gasped for air.

"Your brother?" the man said, beginning to laugh manically. "Now I see."

"Just tell me why," Kathleen said. Her voice was filled with the same desperation Ali felt every time she thought of her brother. What had happened to him? Why had it happened?

"Because it's fun," she heard the man say, his cackle causing bile to rise in her throat. There was a pause, a long drawn out pause that made Ali want to scream. The silence was too much. But then, there was a piercing sound of a single gunshot, and Ali couldn't help but bend over and throw up.

* * *

Ali and Kathleen walked in silence away from the barn, neither of them wanting to discuss what had just happened. It was clear the deputy knew Ali had heard everything, but she didn't want to mention it.

Ali spotted Sam and Dean up ahead, a relieved smile tugging at her lips at the sight of them alive.  
"Where's the girl?" Kathleen asked as they approached them.

"Locked her in a closet," he replied. "What about the dad?" There was a pause, and Ali shuffled uncomfortably on her feet.

"Shot," the deputy said. "Trying to escape." Ali looked up, exchanging a look with Sam and Dean. Nothing else needed to be said.

They carried on walking down the drive to the main road, Ali feeling like they couldn't get away from that place fast enough.

"I think the car's at the police station," Dean said. He turned to Kathleen who was listening to someone on her radio.

"Backup unit en route to your location," the woman said. Kathleen approached the three of them, an apprehensive as well as an appreciative look on her face.

"So, state police and the FBI are gonna be here within the hour. They're gonna wanna talk to you," she said, eyeing the three of them. "I suggest that you're long gone by then." Her gaze lingered on Ali for a second, the fact that she would be letting a teenager go with the two men not sitting well with her.

"Thanks," Dean said. "Hey, listen, I don't mean to press our luck, but we're kind of in the middle of nowhere. Think we could catch a ride?" The deputy shot him an incredulous look.

"Start walking," she said flatly. "Duck if you see a squad car."

"Sounds great to me," Sam said. "Thanks."

"Listen, uh…" Dean started, scratching behind his ear. "I'm sorry about your brother."

"Thank you," she said, beginning to tear up. "It was really hard not knowing what happened to him. I thought it would be easier once I knew the truth—but it isn't really." Ali held her breath, Kathleen's words causing a chill to run up her spine. "Anyway, you should go." The three of them nodded to her, turning to leave and walk down the driveway. For now, they were safe.

* * *

"Never do that again," Dean said as they walked down the side of the road.

"Do what?" Sam asked.

"Go missing like that," he replied. Sam laughed. "And you," he said, turning to Ali and sending her a stern look. "Don't ever do that again."

"Right, sorry," she replied absentmindedly. Dean raised an eyebrow at her, falling back so he was next to her and Sam was ahead.

"You alright, kiddo," he asked, nudging her shoulder with his.

"Just thinkin' about what Kathleen said," she replied, her eyes glued to her fingers as she picked her nails nervously. "You know? About what she said about it not being easier once she knew the truth?"

"Yeah," Dean said. "What about it?"

"Well I've been trying to find out what happened to Tyler for like five years," Ali said sadly. "What if when I find out, I wish I hadn't?"

"Then you're just gonna have to live with that," Dean said. Ali huffed, not finding what he said helpful at all. "Look, Ali," he said with a sigh. "You've just gotta decide what's gonna cause you the most grief: the pain of finding out something horrible, or the pain of not knowing."

Ali didn't reply. She already knew the answer to his question, and Dean knew it too. She was stubborn, just like he was. And just like Bobby.

She had to know, whether the truth was too horrible or not.

* * *

 **AN: Hope you liked this chapter and let me know what you thought! Much love x**


	5. Chapter 5 - Shadow

Ali didn't particularly like thinking about her flaws, nor was she any good at admitting to them. She found the whole idea of self-evaluation tedious and boring, perhaps because she knew deep down that if she looked too closely, she would find many things that she didn't like about herself. However, if there was one thing she could admit to, it was this: she was impatient.

She was impatient when it came to traffic jams, impatient when it came to long queues and most importantly, impatient when it came to the Winchesters.

Over the course of the time she had spent with the brothers, she had spent too many hours in a motel room waiting for them to return. She had spent too long in the back seat of the impala, driving to hunts that she knew she wouldn't be allowed to partake in, and she had spent years waiting for the moment she would be able to look the creature the murdered her brother in the eye and kill it.

Overall, it was clear that Ali was impatient when it came to waiting for the things that she wanted. And right now, she wanted the hell out of the motel room.

"You know, I've gotta say Dad and me did just fine without these stupid costumes," she heard Dean say as he walked out of the bathroom, patting down his attire of an alarm system company's uniform. "I feel like a high school drama dork."

"Look, you wanna pull this off or not?" Sam asked. Ali looked up from where she was laying on the bed, eyeing the two brothers in their outfits.

"I'm just saying, these outfits cost hard-earned money, okay?" Dean replied.

"Whose?" Sam asked, causing Ali to smile.

"Ours. You think credit card fraud is easy?" Dean replied. Ali rolled his eyes at him. At first she had felt obliged to feel guilty about their money situation, but now she thought nothing of it. She noticed Sam roll his eyes at Dean's remark too before both of them grabbed their things, Dean shoving John's journal into his bag.

"Right, let's head out," Dean said and Ali quickly pushed the magazine she was ready off her lap.

"Can I come?" she asked, sliding off the bed ready to put her feet in her leather boots.

"Hilarious," Dean said as he headed for the door.

"Why not?" Ali asked with a frown, her voice slightly raised.

"Remember last time when you almost got killed by those cannibal creeps?" Dean said pointedly. Ali stared back, her eyes almost a glare. "That's why."

"Seriously? You're still pissed about that?" Ali asked incredulously, the older hunter infuriating her.

"Yeah, I'm still pissed," Dean replied bluntly. "You're not coming." With that Dean turned and began walking out of the room. Ali groaned loudly, as they left, Sam turning back to send her a sad smile that said 'sorry but I'm with Dean on this one.'

The door clicked shut and Ali fell back onto the bed, her eyes trained once again on the all too familiar tiled ceiling. She didn't know how long they would be, but estimated she had between two and three hours to kill. At first she thought about calling Bobby; she hadn't spoken to him in a few days and thought he might be able to cheer her up, or at least give her some guidance for handling the Winchesters. She had been doing pretty well so far, but when it came to Sam and Dean, she realised there were always surprises to come. She decided against it however, remembering that Bobby mentioned something about meeting up with an old friend this week – she thought it was probably Rufus. No chance he would answer.

In the end, she turned on the TV, flicking though the channels pretty uninterestedly as she looked for something to diminish her boredom.

It had been four months since Ali had started living with the Winchesters. Living. She wasn't sure if that was the right word. She had been travelling around with the brothers, following them wherever a case took them, though she had only seen limited action. They would keep her informed but Dean had made it very clear that when they were on a case, she was not to leave the motel room unless instructed to. She knew it was only to keep her safe, but she didn't like it. Although she was young, she was still a hunter and she missed it. Not only had it been nearly four months since she met the Winchesters, but it had been two months since what she liked to call her 'probation period' had ended. She wasn't exactly sure when it was decided that she would stay for longer that the 2 months Dean had given her, or how long the unspoken invitation lasted for. She guessed it was for as long as Sam and Dean didn't mind having her around rather than to do with when they managed to solve her case. This was due to the fact that no new leads had surfaced in a long while and no one was really doing anything about it. Sam and Dean seemed more preoccupied with finding their father, which Ali thought was completely understandable. In fact, she was glad for the distractions from her case, although she still longed for it to be solved. And even more, she longed to be back in the hunting game.

She checked the clock. Only an hour had passed since Sam and Dean had left. She sighed, changing the channel when the commercials started to find another programme. She was snapped from her thoughts when the mobile (Dean's other, other cell) started to ring. He always left it with her so she could be contacted in an emergency, though they had a specific procedure. Ali wasn't meant to answer any phone calls or knocks at the door. They had a secret door knock that Dean had drilled into Ali so that she would know if it was Sam or himself. Then there was the cell phone. Ali had to wait for the caller to hang up. If it was either Sam or Dean, they would let it ring three times before hanging up. Then they would ring back so that Ali would know it was them.

She stared at the cell as it vibrated manically on the table, the brick of plastic moving a few centimetres each time it buzzed. Ali counted the rings: one, two, three. Then nothing. She waited for them to ring back, her nails drumming on the table impatiently. As soon as it rang again, Ali dived for it, answering immediately and crashing the cell against her ear.

 _"_ _Ali?"_ she heard Sam's voice say on the other end.

"Sam? What is it? Are you hurt? Is Dean okay?" she asked quickly, her frantic questions falling out of her mouth in a torrent.

 _"_ _Ali it's okay,"_ Sam said with a chuckle. _"_ _We're fine."_ Ali sighed with relief before scowling even though Sam couldn't see her.

"You're not supposed to call this number unless it's an emergency," Ali pouted.

 _"_ _Just testing you,"_ she heard Dean say, making her realise she was on speaker phone. _"_ _Which you failed by the way."_ Ali huffed.

"What? Why?" she asked.

 _"_ _You didn't ask Sam for the code word,"_ Dean replied. _"_ _What if he was a shapeshifter or possessed by a demon?"_ Ali rolled her eyes.

"Dean, we don't have a code word for that," Ali replied and she could hear Sam mumble a similar response down the line.

 _"_ _Right, well we should,"_ Dean said.

 _"_ _Is that really necessary?"_ Sam asked.

 _"_ _Yes,"_ Dean replied at the same time Ali said "no."

 _"_ _What about Dr Sexy?"_ Ali heard Dean ask. She felt like smacking her head against the wall.

"Are you serious?" Ali asked flatly. She could hear the two brothers muttering on the line.

 _"_ _No, he's not serious,"_ Sam interjected as Dean tried to speak. _"_ _I was just ringing to say we're on the way back to the motel. I can pick you up?"_

"You mean I'm actually allowed to leave the motel room?" Ali asked sarcastically.

 _"_ _Not with that attitude,"_ Dean growled back. Ali rolled her eyes.

"See you in ten."

* * *

Ali and Sam walked into the Chicago bar as the younger Winchester filled her in on what they had found.

"Meredith's heart was missing," he said, referring to the girl they had found dead.

"Her heart?" Ali asked as she gagged a little. "So, what do you think did it to her?"

"The landlady said it looked like an animal attack," Sam said.

"Werewolf?" Ali asked, though she wasn't sure she believed herself. Sam shook his head.

"No, the lunar cycle's not right. Plus, if it was a creature, it would've left some kind of trace," he said. "We thought maybe a spirit,' Sam continued. "But then we found this." Sam held up a photograph of the bloody scene of the apartment. It was covered in splatters of blood and someone had joined all the pools of blood together with what appeared to be masking tape. "Ever see that symbol before?" he asked. Ali shook her head.

"No, never," she replied, looking up at him.

"Me neither," he replied. Ali spotted Dean sitting at the bar, clearly flirting with the bar tender. Ali rolled her eyes as she pointed him out to Sam. He waved him over before pushing Ali in the direction of an empty table, hoping to avoid anyone who might want her to leave. She wasn't exactly twenty-one.

Ali sat down across from him as she watched him take out John's journal and leaf through it, seeing if he could find anything on the mysterious symbol.

"I talked to the bartender," Dean's voice cut thought the murmur of the bar.

"Did you get anything besides her number?" Sam asked, causing Ali to snort. Dean sent her a look.

"I'm a professional," he said. "I'm offended that you would think that." Ali and Sam sent him a knowing look. "All right, yeah," he admitted finally, chuckling as he held up a napkin with a number on it.

"You mind doing a little bit of thinking with your upstairs brain, Dean?" Sam suggested. Ali supressed a giggle.

"Look, there's nothing to find out. I mean, Meredith worked here, she waited tables, everyone here was her friend. Everybody said she was normal. She didn't do or say anything weird before she died," he said. "What about that symbol, you find anything?"

"Nope, nothing. It wasn't in Dad's journal or in any of the usual books. I just have to dig a little deeper, I guess." Ali zoned out as the brothers continued to discuss the case. Although she wanted to be involved, she knew they wouldn't let her. Why waste her energy trying to figure anything out?

"Sam?" Dean asked suddenly, pulling Ali from her thoughts. She looked up and noticed that Sam was no longer at the table. She followed Dean's gaze to where he was approaching a table across the room where a young woman was sitting.

"Dean, who is that?" Ali asked, the blonde unfamiliar.

"I have no idea," Dean said as he stared after Sam. "Wait here." Without another word, Dean was out of his seat and striding across the room. Ali huffed, sinking back into her seat as she scowled across the room. She could make out the outline of the three figures, the girl had a petite frame and cropped hair. Her and Sam embraced.

After a few minutes, she noticed Dean leave the group, heading over to the bar. Ali thought it odd that he would walk away from a chance to upstage or embarrass his brother in front of a girl. She left her seat at the table and made her way over to the bar to join Dean. He was sipping a beer, his eyes trained on Sam and the mysterious girl.

"So, what happened?" Ali asked as she sat down beside him.

"Nothing," Dean replied. He took a long drink from the bottle before setting it down on the bar. "Come on, they're leaving." Ali trailed Dean to the exit as they caught up with Sam. There was no sign of the blonde girl.

"Who the hell was she?" Ali asked, her question coming out harsher than she had intended.

"I don't really know. I only met her once," Sam said. He had an odd expression on his face. "Meeting up with her again? I don't know, it's weird."

"And what was she saying?" Dean piped up, his tone irritated. "I treat you like luggage? What, were you bitchin' about me to some chick?" Ali winced at his words, hoping that nothing would get too heated between the brothers. She fell to the back of the group, trying to turn invisible. _Luggage._ Was that what she felt like?

"Look, I'm sorry, Dean. It was when we had that huge fight when I was in that bus stop in Indiana," Sam explained, trying to defuse the situation. Ali didn't think it would work, Dean wasn't going to back down. "But that's not important, just listen—."

"Well, is there any truth to what she's saying?" Dean interjected. "I mean, am I keeping you against your will, Sam?" Dean turned back to look at Ali. He plan hadn't worked. "You think I treat anyone like luggage?"

"Well…"

"Shut up," Dean said, cutting Ali off with an annoyed huff. Ali rolled her eyes.

"Dean, of course not," Sam said, trying to cool the situation. "Now, would you listen?"

"What?" Dean asked.

"I think there's somethin' strange going on here, Dean," Sam replied.

"Yeah, tell me about it," Dean said. "She wasn't even that into me."

"No, man, I mean like our kind of strange. Like, maybe even a lead."

"Why do you say that?" Dean asked, voicing what Ali had been thinking.

"Look, I could be wrong," he paused, "I'm just sayin' that there's something about this girl that I can't quite put my finger on."

"Well, I bet you'd like to," Dean said. Ali could hear the smirk in his voice. "I mean, maybe she's not a suspect, maybe you've got a thing for her, huh?" Sam let out a laugh. "Maybe you're thinkin' a little too much with your upstairs brain, huh?"

"Do me a favour," Sam said. "Check and see if there's really a Meg Masters from Andover, Massachusetts, and see if you can't dig anything up on that symbol on Meredith's floor."

"What are you gonna do?"

"I'm gonna watch Meg," Sam said. Dean raised an eyebrow at him. "I just wanna see what's what. Better safe than sorry."

"All right, you little pervert," Dean teased. Ali elbowed him in the arm as Sam sent him an irritated glare. "Alright, I'm goin', I'm goin'," he said. Dean crossed over the street, Ali hot on his heels as they made their way back to the motel. As she walked, Ali couldn't help but feel like someone was watching them – someone lurking in the shadows.

* * *

"Found her," Dean said from behind Sam's computer. Ali sauntered over from the bed to look at the screen, leaving her pile of books on the duvet. "Meg Masters," Dean read, pulling up a high school year book photo from a school in Andover.

"So, she checks out," Ali said.

"Yeah, you had any luck with the symbol?" Dean asked. Ali fetched a book from the bed and passed it to Dean, the pages emitting dust as she opened it.

"Here," she said, pointing to the symbol on the paper. "It's Zoroastrian."

"Zoroastrian?" Dean repeated with a frown. "That's old-school stuff. Really old-school."

"Yeah, like two thousand years before Christ," Ali said. "It's a sigil for a Daeva."

"What the hell is a Daeva?" Dean asked.

"It translates to "demon of darkness"," Ali said.

"Yikes," Dean said as he scanned the page. "Right, I'll call Sam, nice work." Ali was a little taken aback by the compliment but didn't mention it. Instead, she went back to the bed and switched off the TV, drowning out Sam and Dean's phone conversation as they filled each other in on the new developments of the hunt.

After what felt like hours, the programme she was mindlessly watching ended. Ali stepped up from the bed and grabbed a towel from the dresser. As she walked to the bathroom, she noticed Dean staring intently at the computer. Whatever it was that he had found, it was important.

"Dean, you okay?" Ali asked, a little concerned.

"Yeah, yeah," Dean said, though Ali didn't think he had really been paying attention to her questions.

"Okay…" Ali trailed off, her brow furrowing at Dean. "I'm gonna take a shower." Dean didn't reply as Ali slipped into the bathroom, immediately stripping off her clothes and hopping into the hot shower.

She let the water fall over her head, soaking her hair and relaxing her muscles. She only ever realised how tense she always was when she got in the shower, the water working like magic to loosen the knots in her back. Once she was satisfied she was clean and relaxed, she turned off the water and stepped out of the shower, pulling the greying towel around her. Motels never seemed to have towels that she approved of and always seemed to scratch and itch her skin when she dried off.

She quickly pulled on her jeans and a loose t-shirt before squeezing her hair out with the towel, trying to get it as dry as possible with her limited resources. Motels didn't tend to provide hair driers either.

She was just about to exit the bathroom when she heard Sam and Dean's voices outside. She couldn't hear every word they said over the loud humming of the fluorescent lighting but certain words caught her attention, such as "victims", "Lawrence", "demon" and "Mom". They had discovered something important.

Ali pressed her ear to the door, not wanting to interrupt the brothers' obviously important conversation but still wanting to hear what they were saying.

"God, could you imagine if we actually found that damn thing? That demon?" she heard Sam say.

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves, all right?" Dean said.

"I know. I'm just sayin', what if we did? What if this whole thing was over tonight? Man, I'd sleep for a month. Go back to school—be a person again," Sam said. At his words, Ali felt something inside of her sink and from what he said next, she thought Dean felt the same thing.

"You wanna go back to school?" Dean asked, the hurt in his voice clear.

"Yeah, once we're done huntin' the thing," Sam replied.

"Huh," Dean said, the word encompassing everything Ali was feeling.

"Why, is there somethin' wrong with that?" Sam asked.

"No. No, it's, uh, great. Good for you," Dean said, the bite in his voice not escaping Sam or Ali.

"I mean, what are you gonna do when it's all over?" Sam asked. Ali wasn't sure what he meant by over. Did he mean when they caught the demon that killed their mother or when they had solved her case as well?

"It's never gonna be over," Dean said, causing some hope to rise inside Ali. "There's gonna be others. There's always gonna be somethin' to hunt."

"But there's got to be somethin' that you want for yourself," Sam said. Ali pondered the questions. Was there anything else she wanted? Her family had been hunters for generations. Was there ever another option?

"Yeah, I don't want you to leave the second this thing's over, Sam," Dean replied, his voice slightly raised.

"Dude, what's your problem?" Sam asked. Ali could hear nothing but silence on the other side of the door for a while. Then finally, Dean spoke.

"Why do you think I drag you everywhere? Huh? I mean, why do you think I came and got you at Stanford in the first place?"

"Because Dad was in trouble. Because you wanted to find the thing that killed Mom," Sam said.

"Yes, that," Dean said. "But it's more than that, man. You and me and Dad—I mean, I want us….I want us to be together again," he said. Ali felt a strange feeling of disappointment at Dean's words, a feeling she knew she had no right to feel. "I want us to be a family again." _Family?_ Somewhere deep inside her she knew she was jealous of them. She had no family, no parents, no brother. She was all alone. She had selfishly hoped that maybe, one day, Sam and Dean might think of her as something close to that, but after hearing what they had said, she knew it would never happen.

"Dean, we are a family. I'd do anything for you. But things will never be the way they were before," Sam said.

"Could be," Ali heard Dean say, his voice quiet and heartbroken, mimicking how Ali was feeling.

"I don't want them to be. I'm not gonna live this life forever. Dean, when this is all over, you're gonna have to let me go my own way." After Sam's words, Ali realised something. As impatient as Ali was to get into the action, to get into hunting, Sam was as impatient to get out of it.

* * *

Ali wasn't sure how long Sam and Dean had been gone for. Once again, she had been told to stay put in the motel, Dean mentioning something about how it was "family business" that didn't make her feel any better about the conversation she had overheard the Winchesters having earlier.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. The sound was dull as it echoed through the motel room, but somehow still urgent. Ali froze. She wasn't supposed to answer the door – that much Dean had made clear from the start – but she couldn't help but he curious. The pounding on the door came again, the force sending vibrations up Ali's spinal column and causing her to shiver. She took a hesitant step forward towards the door, unsure whether she should call out or pretend she wasn't there.

She decided on the latter, trying to remain as still and noiseless as possible. A moment past, the silence elongating until Ali couldn't bare it any longer. She sighed, releasing a breath when she was satisfied whoever it was had disappeared. She fell back on the bed, the springs of the mattress pinging and snapping beneath her slim frame.

The knocking sounded again. Ali abruptly sat up, her stare trained on the door. _Who could it be?_ She dreaded the answer, but the incessant knocking wouldn't stop. She slowly stood up and walked towards the door, her fingers finding the blade hidden in her right boot. Floor boards creaked under her heels, her breathing erratic.

She pushed herself up, hand clasping around the door knob. She could hear whoever was outside the motel room shifting their weight from foot to foot impatiently. Ali took a deep breath before yanking the door open, blade braced in the air to defend herself.

She stopped dead in her tracks at the man in front of her. Her mouth was wide with shock, yet she said nothing, completely lost for words. He had aged since she had seen him last seen him, his eyes dark. He had 'the look' of a hunter, an expression she knew all too well. He eyed her as she stared at him and Ali noticed how he didn't seem as surprised to see her as she did him.

"John," Ali breathed out, the name the only thing she could think to say. A ghost of a smile flashed across his lips though she wasn't sure if she had really seen it. The few times she had seen the man he had certainly not been smiling.

"Allison," he greeted back, nodding his head slightly at her. She straightened up, closing her mouth and schooling her features. In front of this man she couldn't show any form of weakness. She reached over to the table beside the door, picking up the hip flask without taking her eyes off the man.

"Don't pout," she said as she handed it to him. "I know you have demons on your ass." He seemed to chuckle internally at her remark, taking the hip flask filled with holy water and raising it to her as if in a toast.

"I'd expect nothing less from a _Venator_ ," he responded before taking a sip from the silver receptacle. The name was said with a certain bite as if it tasted like poison on his lips. Ali didn't like it. She watched with keen eyes as the water met John's lips, relaxing a little when nothing happened.

"I guess this means I have to let you in," she said coldly. Ali knew that John Winchester wasn't her biggest fan and the obvious contempt she had always shown towards him was probably what lead to this. She got it from her brother. She stepped aside, allowing the hunter to pass into the room before shutting the door. "Should I call Dean?" she asked.

"No," John replied, not turning to meet her eyes as he made his way towards the window. "They'll be along soon." Ali nodded before realising the action was pointless. The room settled into an uncomfortable silence. She didn't know what to say to him. She had never really known what to say to him.

"So, you're hunting with my boys," he said after a long while. Ali knew it wasn't a question.

"Someone's gotta carry on the family business," she said with a slight glare that John didn't miss.

"Right," he said knowingly. "I'm sorry about Tyler." Ali wanted to tell him to shut up, but she found the man far too intimidating to silence, which, in turn, she found infuriating. Instead she looked away dismissively, hoping he would get the idea.

Sensing her disapproval, John decided to try another angle to get the girl talking to him. He'd never had a daughter and was finding it hard not to give up and accept the silence. He wasn't sure how Bobby did it.

"How's Bobby doing?" he asked, genuinely curious as to how his old friend was. Recently they hadn't been on the best of terms.

"He's fine," Ali said curtly. Neither of the two had taken a seat, Ali facing John with her arms cross as John's hands sat comfortably in his pockets.

"He's okay with you running all over the country with my boys?" he asked sceptically, his tone remaining gravelly and calm. Ali narrowed her eyes at him, unsure what game he was trying to play.

"How Bobby feels about what I do is hardly of your concern," she replied sharply, expecting her comment to get the man before her riled up. John's eyes fell to the ground as he breathed out a smile.

"I'm not your enemy, Allison," he replied, his eyes drifting up to meet hers. She frowned, about to snap back at him when her attention was brought to the motel room's door. John's eyes snapped in the same direction. Footsteps wear approaching. "They're back."

Ali stepped back as she watched the door swing open. She wasn't sure what the brothers' reaction would be to seeing their father again. As they entered, the boys' eyes went straight for the figure standing in the shadows, barely noticing Ali was there.

"Hey!" Dean yelled, ready to take out his gun and send a bullet at the unknown man.

"Dean," Ali said, her voice drawing attention to where she was standing. She sent him a reassuring look, though she thought it came out as more of a grimace. Dean looked back at the man as he stepped out of the shadows, the light illuminating his features.

"Dad?" Dean said, his expression shocked and relieved at the same time.

"Hey, boys," John said with a smile as he looked on his two sons. Ali watched as Dean and his father approached each other. After a moment, they embraced each other, the hug raw and emotional. Sam was still by the door, watching his brother and father sadly. Ali wanted to squeeze his shoulder in comfort but remained where she was, feeling slightly like she shouldn't be there.

John and Dean pulled apart and John looked over towards where his youngest was standing.

"Hi, Sam," he said softly.

"Hey, Dad," Sam replied as he placed the bag of weapons on the floor.

"Dad, it was a trap," Dean said guiltily. "I didn't know, I'm sorry."

"It's all right. I thought it might've been, it's tried to stop me before."

"The demon has?" Sam asked.

"It knows I'm close. It knows I'm gonna kill it," John said. "Not just exorcise it or send it back to hell—actually kill it." Ali looked up, the hunter's words echoing what she had said to Sam four months ago.

"How?" she asked, speaking up for the first time. John smiled at her.

"I'm workin' on that," he replied.

"Let us come with you. We'll help," Sam suggested, reminding Ali of how she always tries to get Dean to let her on a hunt.

"No, Sam," John replied. "Not yet. Just try to understand. This demon is a scary son of a bitch. I don't want you caught in a crossfire. I don't want you hurt."

"Dad, you don't have to worry about us," Sam said.

"Of course, I do. I'm your father." His words pulled a little at Ali's heart. She wasn't always sure how she felt about John Winchester, but there was no denying that he cared about his family. "Listen, Sammy, last time we were together, we had one hell of a fight."

"Yes, sir," Sam said nervously.

"It's good to see you again," John said. "It's been a long time."

"Too long," Sam replied. Ali looked away as the two embraced each other, feeling like she was imposing on a poignant family moment. To say she felt out of place would be a serious understatement. She looked back just as they pulled apart, both of their eyes glistening. Ali brushed a tear from her own cheek, not letting a single other one fall.

Suddenly, John was thrown backwards, his body slamming against the wall as he was thrown by an invisible force. The room went into panic, Ali watching as scratched appeared on Sam's face before she was thrown to the ground herself.

"No!" she heard Dean yell as she shouted in pain. Claw-like gashed had appeared on her side, her shirt turning crimson. She tried to stand up, only to be thrown down once again, her head colliding with the ground. Her hair felt sticky, her vision blurring as she attempted sitting up. She could hear someone yelling in pain, the sound enraging her.

She noticed Sam next to her as he fumbled with the zip on the weapons bag. Ali saw what looked like a flare in his hand. "Shut your eyes!" he yelled. "These things are shadow demons, so let's light 'em up!" Ali squeezed her eyes shut as she covered her head with her arms to protect herself.

The room became filled with a dazzling white light, smoke pouring out of the flare as Sam threw it across the room. The Daevas vanished instantly.

"Dad!" Ali heard Dean yell through the fog. She coughed as she tried to feel her way to the door, her head pounding.

"Ali?" She heard Sam's voice next to her and he reached a hand out. She took it immediately and let Sam pull her to her feet as they followed John and Dean out of the room.

"All right, come on. We don't have much time," Sam said as they ran over to the impala, Sam dumping the bag of weapons on the back seat. "As soon as the flare's out, they'll be back."

"Wait, wait. Sam, wait," Dean said, easing his father to lean against the car. "Dad, you can't come with us."

"What? What are you talkin' about?" Sam said urgently. "Dean, we should stick together. We'll go after those demons-."

"Sam! Listen to me!" Dean yelled. "We almost got Dad killed in there. Don't you understand? They're not gonna stop, they're gonna try again. They're gonna use us to get to him. I mean, Meg was right. Dad's vulnerable when he's with us. He's—he's stronger without us around."

"Dad, no," Sam said, putting a hand on his father's shoulder. Ali watched sadly at the gesture. "After everything, after all the time we spent lookin' for you—please. I gotta be a part of this fight."

"Sammy," John said. "This fight is just starting. And we are all gonna have a part to play." John glanced between his two boys, but Ali didn't miss the way his eyes slid to her for a brief second. "For now, you've got to trust me, son. Okay, you've gotta let me go."

Sam looked like he was about to cry and Ali didn't stop herself this time from squeezing his arm. "He's right, Sam," she said quietly, looking up and meeting Sam's sad eyes. He nodded in understanding and looked back to his father.

"Be careful, boys," he said softly as he patted each of them on the back. Just before he left, he caught Ali's eye, extending a hand to her. She stared at it, feeling the brothers' eyes on her. She couldn't not take it. She met his hand with hers and he unexpectedly pulled her closer to him, the exchange looking friendly enough on the outside so he could whisper what he wanted to say in her ear.

"I meant what I said," John said quietly. "I'm not your enemy, not anymore." He released her in a pointed look and she stared back at him, not replying to him as she slid into the back seat of the impala. Dean was the only one to catch the exchange between the girl and his father, finding it odd. He knew the two of them had met before but had never considered what had gone down between them.

As he drove away he thought of the tension between the two he had observed in the short time they had been together. Clearly something had happened in the past that neither he nor Sam knew about. Having thought he knew all there was to the sixteen-year-old he had known for four months he found it infuriating, realising all he knew of the girl was how she was around him and Sam. Around them she was a friend, someone they had to take care of, but around John, she had been something else. Dean asked himself the question he knew he would find out soon enough, but wasn't sure he wanted to know at all: _Who was Allison Venator as a hunter?_

* * *

 **AN: So that was chapter 5.**

 **Sensing some tension between Ali and John there... what do you think happened? Ali's starting to get a bit agitated always having to sit out of hunts, but don't worry! That is going to change very soon!**

 **Let me know what you thought, much love x**


	6. Chapter 6 - Something Wicked

Ali still couldn't believe what the Winchester's had fought on the last hunt. _A Tulpa. Seriously._ Before, Ali hadn't even thought that those things existed. All it all, she was happy she had sat that one out, not to mention she was glad she hadn't had to try to work around the two idiots Sam and Dean had to in order to subdue the thing. If three was a crowd, five was a fricking army.

"You cheated," Ali heard Sam say accusingly across the motel room. She looked over to see him standing over the table, red faced and enraged. Dean was simply sitting there, beer in hand. He and Dean had been engaging in a clearly one-side-dominating poker game. (That side being Dean's, obviously.)

"No, Sam, I'm just better," he said with a smirk as he took a sip of his beer, enjoying the look of outrage on his younger brother's face as he slammed his cards on the table.

"You looked at my cards while I was in the bathroom, didn't you?" he accused again. Ali struggled to contain her amusement.

"Don't be a sore loser, Sammy," Dean chuckled as he dragged the pile of winnings to his side of the table. Ali made her way over to the brothers, eyeing the pile of cash on the table.

"Can I play?" she asked as she plopped herself down in a seat opposite Dean.

"Sure, you can take my place," Sam said sulkily, not wanting to lose any more to his brother.

"Have you even played before?" Dean asked sceptically. Ali shrugged.

"A few times." Dean eyed her carefully before coming to a decision.

"Alright," he said, leaning forward in his chair to shuffle the deck. "But Sammy has to play too." Sam let out an exasperated sigh before taking his seat in-between Ali and Dean.

"Here," he said as he slapped a wad of ones on the table in front of Ali and took some out for himself. "You got ten dollars," he told her, "don't lose it all at once."

Dean dealt them all two cards and the game began. He was a master at the game and thought himself more than adequately trained at reading people. Ali didn't think she was too bad at it either. Each player had a distinct way of playing. Dean was quite aggressive usually, playing hands Ali was sure were worse than hers but somehow still managing to take the pot. Sam, on the other hand, tended to fold early on in each hand, resulting in Dean stating how he played like a girl. Dean noted, however, that Ali didn't really seem to have much of a game plan. She won a couple of hands but slowly, her pile of dollar bills depleted until there was nothing left.

"I don't get it," she said finally, "how come you manage to win almost every round?"

"It's called a bluff, kiddo," Dean chuckled.

"What Dean's trying to say is, if you act like you have a good hand, the other players will think you do. Then you just hope they fold early," Sam explained. Dean watched as Ali considered his words.

"Okay," she said. "Can we do one more hand? Winner takes all?" she asked.

"Hate to break it to you, sweetheart, but you're outta ones," Dean said with a smirk. Dean watched as Ali looked towards Sam, silently asked him to lend her more money.

"Take mine," he said pushing his pile of notes towards her. "I'm gonna lose them anyway." Ali grinned at him in thanks as Dean dealt the last hand.

"Okay, Benny Binion, let's wrap this up. I wanna get my four hours tonight," Dean said. He watched as Ali took a look at her cards, carefully schooling her features as to not give anything away. Dean thought it almost adorable how she was trying to maintain her poker face. It was gonna be like taking candy from a baby for him. He took a look at his own hand. Two queens. He smiled inwardly. This should be easy. "You're up, kiddo."

After careful consideration, Ali put forward three dollars and considering she only had six left, this was a bold move for her. Dean chuckled to himself. Of course she was going to try and bluff. He did give her credit, she usually was a good liar. But Dean could always see right through her, and right now, she was transparent.

"Okay, I see your three bucks," he said, throwing in a few dollar bills, "and I raise two." Ali rolled her eyes at how patronising he was being and reluctantly threw another two dollars into the pot. Dean burned a card before placing three face up on the table. A queen, a two and a five.

"I'll check," Ali said and Dean nodded, checking as well. He burned another card and laid another on the table. Six of clubs. He had her now. He knew it. Ali looked sheepish, like she knew it too. "I think I'll check again," she said, running her last dollar through her fingers. Dean smirked.

"Well I'm all in," Dean said, pushing his winnings into the centre of the table. "You gonna fold?" Ali glared up at him as she slapped her last dollar down on the table.

"How about we raise the steaks," she said, her words sobering Dean a little.

"You've got nothing to raise them with," he chuckled, taking another sip of his beer.

"How about this," she said. "Whoever wins gets to have one thing they really want."

"What, like a wish?" Dean asked.

"Yeah, and the other person has to comply," she explained. Dean shook his head.

"Alright, but I hope you realise you're gonna be doing my laundry for the next month," he chuckled.

"I already do your laundry, Dean," Ali shot back.

"Well I'll make you do Sammy's as well," he said with a sarcastic smile.

"Deal?" she asked, stretching a hand across the table.

"You're gonna regret this, Ali," Sam said, shaking his head as he stood up. Dean chuckled as he grasped the girl's hand firmly in his.

"Deal." He burned a card for the final time and placed it on the table. Jack of hearts. Dean watched as Ali chewed on her lip, something she only did when she was nervous.

"What've you got?" she asked meekly and Dean threw his cards down onto the table.

"Three queens," he said proudly, ready to take his winnings. For a moment, Ali's face fell, disappointment and fury eclipsing her face in a way Dean thought was hilarious. But after a moment, a wide smirk pulled at her lips as she turned over her cards. A three and a four.

"Straight beats three of a kind, right?" she said. Dean stared bewildered at Ali's cards on the table as if that would somehow change them into something else. He had lost. Dean Winchester had lost to a sixteen-year-old girl. Through his teeth grinding, he couldn't help but feel a sense of pride.

"Well played," he said, and he meant it. He was convinced she had nothing, that he would take the pot. He had been teaching her about bluffing when all the while it was the double bluff she was perfecting. "You've played this more than you let on, haven't you?"

"I did live with Bobby for five years," she replied with a smirk as she picked her winnings from the table. Dean shook his head.

"So, what is it you want? Queen size for a month? Unlimited whisky supply?" Dean asked as he gathered the cards together. Ali took a deep breath.

"I wanna go on a hunt." Her request was met with silence. Even Sam looked up from across the room to see what would happen next. Dean glanced up from the deck at her, meeting her eyes for a second before he looked back down.

"You already went on a hunt," he said dismissively. "Remember Minnesota?"

"That doesn't count," Ali argued, remembering when Sam had been kidnapped by a family of cannibals. "We didn't save anyone."

"We saved Sam," Dean shot back, gesturing to the younger Winchester across the room.

"Yeah but they were just people," Ali said. "I wanna hunt monsters."

"They were monstrous enough for me," Dean commented, thinking that would be the end of the discussion. He should have known better – Ali wasn't going to back down that easily.

"It doesn't really matter what you think," Ali said boldly. Dean looked up at her, eyebrow raised. "I won the game. I'm _going_ on a hunt." Dean sighed, knowing there was no way he was getting out of this one. He looked over to Sam for some help, but he just shrugged in response.

"Fine," he said finally. "Next thing that comes up, you can tag along."

"And I'm not gonna be the one who does the research and digs up the corpse," she said, her voice determined. "I wanna be the one who burns it."

* * *

The impala glided down the dusty Wisconsin highway, the trees whizzing past the windows at an alarming rate, though it all felt too slow for Ali. This was it. She was finally on a hunt.

"Dad wouldn't have sent us coordinates if it wasn't important, Sammy," Dean was saying as Ali unhooked her seatbelt so she could lean into the front, her elbows resting between Sam and Deans' shoulders.

"Well I'm telling you I looked and all I could find was a big steamy pile of nothing," Sam replied. Ali huffed. For her first hunt with the Winchesters it wasn't exactly off to the best start. "If Dad's sending us hunting for something I don't know what."

"Well maybe he's going to meet us there," Dean suggested. Ali thought the idea was highly improbably to happen. Apart from the coordinates he had sent them leading to Fitchburg, Wisconsin, they hadn't heard anything from John in weeks.

"Yeah. Cause he's been so easy to find up to this point," Sam commented sarcastically, voicing what Ali was thinking.

"You're a real smart ass you know that?" Dean said, causing Ali to snort. Sam sent her a look. "Don't worry I'm sure there's something in Fitchburg worth killing."

"Yeah? What makes you so sure?" Sam asked.

"Cause I'm the oldest," Dean said with a smirk. "Which means I'm always right."

"It means you'll be the first to get a hip replacement," Ali quipped back at Dean. Dean made the face he usually did when he wanted to flip someone off whilst driving.

"It means I'm right," Dean shot back. Ali rolled her eyes at him.

"No, it doesn't," Sam argued. Dean turned back to the road, a smirk finding its way onto his lips.

"It totally does."

* * *

Ali watched as Dean crossed the road, a stack of three coffees in his hand. Once he had made it to them, he handed one to the two hunters who were leaning against the impala.

"No one seems to have heard about anything freaky going on," he said, taking a sip of his coffee. Ali stared across the road, catching sight of a little girl in the playground, her mother watching on carefully. She smiled a little to herself. She could barely remember doing anything like that with her mom. Her childhood had revolved around silver bullets and target practice. She thought Sam and Dean must've had the same.

"You got the time?" she asked suddenly as she stared at the playground, leaning away from the impala to get a closer look.

"Ten after Four," Dean said after checking his watch. "Why?"

"What's wrong with this picture," she said, gesturing to the single child on the climbing frame, the warm breeze devoid of parental murmurs and childish laughter.

"School's out, isn't it?" Sam said Sam as he began to see what Ali was talking about.

"Yeah," she said slowly. "So where is everybody?"

"Shouldn't this place be crawling with kids?" Dean said. Ali's thoughtful eyes found the mother watching her child play.

"I'll be right back," she said, paying no attention to Dean's protests as she crossed over the road to the playground.

"Sure is quiet out here," she said as she sat down next to the mother.

"Yeah, it's a shame," she replied. Ali frowned.

"Why's that?" she asked.

"You know, kids getting sick, it's a terrible thing," the woman explained.

"How many?" Ali asked.

"Just five or six but serious, hospital serious. A lot of parents are getting pretty anxious. They think it's catching." Ali stared back out at the set of empty swings, finding their slow movement a little creepy. She sent a polite smile to the woman before she made her way back to the brothers.

"What did she say?" Sam asked as Ali approached.

"Kids have been getting sick," Ali explained. "I think there is a case here after all. What should we do?" She turned to Dean, expecting him to give her instructions of what to do next.

"You wanted to come on the hunt, you tell me," he said, raising an expectant eyebrow at her. Ali felt an exhilarating jolt of power propel through her as she considered Dean's works.

"I think we should check out the hospital."

* * *

Ali picked at her nails as she sat in the hospital foyer. Although Dean had allowed her to come on this hunt, it still didn't mean she could pass for a disease control officer. Besides, she still didn't have a fake I.D. She stood up when she noticed Sam and Dean walking briskly down the corridor, jogging over to meet them as they exited the hospital.

"So? What did the doctor say?" she asked, desperate to be brought up to date with the situation.

"They thought it was some kind of pneumonia at first, but the kids aren't responding to antibiotics," Sam explained as they talked to the impala. "He said it's like their bodies are wearing out."

"Yikes," Ali said as she grimaced. "Did you talk to any of the kids?"

"No, they're all unconscious," Sam replied. Ali's brow furrowed in concern. "But we spoke to one of the parents. Both his daughters are here, both got sick within 24 hours of each other and both had their windows open the night they got sick."

"That's weird right?" Ali said as she slid into the back seat.

"Yeah it's weird," Dean replied, looking as confused as the rest of them.

"You know, this might not be anything supernatural," Sam suggested. "It might just be pneumonia."

"Maybe," Ali said. "Or maybe something opened that window."

"Ali's right," Dean said finally. "Dad sent us down here for a reason. I think we may be barking up the right tree." Sam slammed the passenger door as Dean started up the engine.

"I'll tell you one thing," Sam said. Ali and Dean turned to him expectantly. "That guy we just talked to? I bet it will be a while before he goes home."

* * *

 _I know why Dad sent us here. He's faced this thing before. He wants us to finish the job._ Dean's words echoed around Ali's head as she sat on the bed. Usually the three of them rented two rooms (a single for Ali and a double for the Winchesters) but for one reason or another, Ali found herself having to share. She didn't mind. This meant she could keep up to date on everything that was going on in the hunt, especially as Dean already seemed to know more than what he was letting on.

She remembered his distant look when they had broken into the sick girls' house to check for any signs of the supernatural. His eyes had been far away as he had stared at the rotted hand print on the window ledge. Whatever he had been thinking, Ali knew it would be important if they were going to be able to solve the case before any more kids in than town got sick.

 _"_ _So what the hell is a shtriga?"_ Sam had said when Dean let on that he had encountered one before. Ali thought it was some kind of witch.

 _"_ _Dad hunted one in Fort Douglas, Wisconsin, about 16-17 years ago. You were there, you don't remember?"_ Dean had said, almost absentmindedly.

 _"_ _You think it's the same one Dad hunted before?"_ Sam had asked. Dean seemed to think so. Ali thought it odd to think that whatever it was they were hunting had been around longer than she had. In the back of her mind she wondered if she counted as a child in the eyes of a shtriga. Was she safe?

"Well you were right," Sam said, snapping her from her thoughts. "It wasn't very easy to find but you were right. Shtriga's is a kind of witch. They're Albanian, but legends about them trace back to ancient Rome. They feed off spiritus vitae."

"Spiri-what?" Dean asked, pulling a confused face.

"It's Latin," Ali said. "Translates to 'breath of life'." Dean's gaze wondered over to her.

"You speak Latin?" he asked incredulously. Ali rolled her eyes at him.

"You know Venator is Latin, right?" Ali said, arching an eyebrow at the clueless hunter.

"Yeah, so?" Dean asked with a shrug. Ali shook her head.

"Never mind."

"It's kinda like your life force or essence," Sam explained, pushing the conversation on.

"Didn't the Doctor say the kids' bodies were wearing out?" Dean questioned.

"It's a thought. Shtriga's can feed off anyone but they prefer…"

"Children," Ali filled in grimly.

"Yeah, probably because they have stronger life force," Sam agreed. "And get this. Shtriga's are invulnerable to all weapons devised by God and man." _Oh great._

"No, that's not right. She's vulnerable when she feeds," Dean said. Ali's gaze snapped to him.

"What?" she asked, noticing Sam sending Dean a similar look.

"If you catch her when she's eating you can blast her with consecrated wrought iron. Err…buckshots or rounds I think," Dean explained.

"Okay. So, assuming we can kill it when it eats we gotta find the thing first," Sam said. "It ain't gonna be a cakewalk. Shtriga's take on a human disguise when they're not hunting."

"What kinda human disguise?" Ali asked.

"Historically, something innocuous. Could be anything," Sam said. The three were deep in thought when suddenly they heard a loud bang, causing them to just to their feet.

Within seconds, Dean, Sam and Ali were out the door, coming to an abrupt stop when Dean noticed Michael, the owner of the motel's son sitting by the door, his head in his hands.

"Hey what's wrong?" Dean asked, jogging over to the boy.

"My brothers sick," he replied sadly. "He's in the hospital. It's my fault."

"Oh c'mon, how?" Dean asked, trying to comfort the kid.

"I should've made sure the window was latched. He wouldn't have got pneumonia if the window was latched."

"Listen to me," Dean said, and Ali was surprised at how comforting he sounded. "I can promise you that this is not your fault, okay?" The boy looked up at Dean, his eyes tearful. Ali didn't want the kid to lose his brother. She knew how it felt and she wouldn't wish it on anyone.

A woman appeared from behind the front desk, looking particularly flustered. "Michael, I want you to turn on the no vacancy sign while I'm gone. I've got Denise covering room service," she explained. Ali noticed how she also looked like she might break into tears at any moment.

"I'm going with you," Michael argued, reminding Ali of how she was with Dean most of the time.

"Not now, Michael," she insisted.

"But I gotta see Asher!"

"Hey Michael," Dean said, catching up to the boy as he raced after his mother into the parking lot. "Hey. I know how you feel, but you gotta go easy on your Mom right now ok?" The kid nodded sadly and Dean turned to the upset mother. He offered to drive her to the hospital which she gratefully accepted.

"Be good," she reminded her son as Dean helped her into the passenger seat. Just before they drove away he turned to Sam, but Ali still caught what he was saying.

"We're going to kill this thing. I want it dead, you hear me?" Sam nodded at his brother's words, stepping away from the car as it pulled out of the drive.

* * *

Ali's legs swung in perfect synchronisation with the steady rhythm of the tapping of Sam's fingers on the key board. They had already been in the library for over half an hour and had discovered nothing. After the first ten minutes or so, Ali had switched from helping Sam and reading books to flicking through a clothing catalogue.

"Found anything yet?" Sam said tiredly as he clicked on yet another archived article. Shoving the catalogue off of her lap, she scooted closer to Sam on the desk so she could see the screen.

"So far, nada," she replied as she tried to read the article on the computer. It was difficult considering she was perched on the edge of the table so had to read at a funny angle. "Sam?" she asked after a moment as she pulled her sleeves down over her hands.

"Hmm?" he asked, only half paying attention to the teen beside him.

"Does Dean seem a little…off to you?" she questioned. Sam shrugged.

"I dunno," he said. "I think he just really wants to solve this case." Ali frowned, Sam's words not making sense in her head.

"Doesn't he really want to solve every case?" she asked.

"I guess," he replied. "Maybe this case is different?" _Different?_ Ali frowned again. The only difference she could see compared to the other cases was that she was involved in this one.

"Why?" she asked.

"I mean, it's always more stressful when there are kids involved," he replied. Ali raised her eyebrows at him whilst trying to look like the comment didn't bother her. Sam had a guilty look on his face. "I didn't mean you," he started. "It's just, these kid's lives are in his hands. Our hands. That's a responsibility that comes with the job." Ali nodded, though she didn't buy what Sam was failing to sell. Sensing her discomfort, Sam pulled away from the computer to face the girl. "Listen to me, okay?" he said seriously. "Whatever's going on with Dean, it isn't because of you." He sent her a reassuring smile which she tried to return. He shook her head at her, slightly amused, and squeezed her arm in a way he hoped was comforting. "You're doing great, kiddo." Ali nodded, feeling a little more reassured.

Sam's phone began to buzz and with one last look, Sam turned to pick it up. Ali hopped off the desk and sat herself in Sam's unoccupied chair. She scrolled through the numerous articles and pictures pretty aimlessly, her eyes feeling droopy. Her eyes snapped open, however, when she came across a photograph from the 1890s, one of the figures looking ominously familiar.

"Sam," she said as she stared at the screen, picking up her catalogue with one hand and launching it across the library at Sam who was still on the phone. The paper bounced off the back of his head and he turned around, clearly irritated.

"What?" he managed to whisper and yell at the same time. Ali beckoned him over.

"Isn't this the paediatrician at the hospital?" she asked hurriedly, pointing to a figure standing over a child's hospital bed.

"Oh my god," Sam said. "I'm looking photograph right now of a bunch of Doctors standing around a kid's bed," he said into the phone. "One of the Doctors is Heidacker."

Ali shuddered at the thought of a monster disguised as a doctor. The idea just seemed wrong to her and she had the strong urge to throw up.

* * *

"The bastard's bullet proof unless he's chowing down on something," Dean explained as he paced the motel room. "I know how we're going to get it."

"What do you mean?" Ali asked from the bed as she sharpened the blade that used to be one of Deans.

"Shtriga, works through siblings, right?" Dean said. "Well last night it went after Asher. So, I'm thinking tonight it's probably gonna come after Michael."

"Well we gotta get him outta here," Sam said urgently.

"No. No, that would blow the whole deal," Dean said.

"What?" Sam said. "You wanna use the kid as bait?" he asked incredulously. Ali looked up at the two of them in shock. "Are you nuts? No! Forget it. That's out of the question."

"It's not out of the question Sam it's the only way," Dean argued. "If this thing disappears it could be years before we get another chance."

"Michael's a kid," Sam said. Ali felt her stomach sink a little but she didn't let it show. "And I'm not going to dangle him in front of that thing like a worm on a hook."

"Dad did not send me here to walk away," Dean said. Ali was starting to get a little confused, as was Sam.

"Send you here?" Sam asked. "He didn't send you here, he sent us."

"This isn't about you," Dean said. "Either of you. I'm the one who screwed up, all right. It's my fault. There's no telling how many kids have gotten hurt because of me."

"What are you saying Dean, how is it your fault?" Sam asked. There was a long pause before finally, Dean sighed.

"Fort Douglas Wisconsin," he said, his expression wracked with guilt. "It was our third night in this crap room and I was climbing the walls man. I needed to get some air. I can't have been gone for more than 10 minutes, but when I came back, it was there. I wanted to help you, Sammy, but I couldn't. I just froze." Dean looked up at his brother, his expression destroyed. "Then Dad showed up and the thing took off. He just grabbed us and booked. Dropped us off at Pastor Jim's about three hours away, but by the time he got back to Fort Douglas the shtriga had disappeared, it was just gone. It never surfaced until now. Dad never spoke about it again, I didn't ask. But he...ah...he looked at me different, you know?" he said sadly. "Which was worse. Not that I blame him. He gave me an order and I didn't listen, I almost got you killed."

"You were just a kid," Ali said, trying to comfort the elder Winchester.

"Dad knew this was unfinished business for me. He sent me here to finish it," Dean said.

"But using Michael," Sam said. "I don't know Dean. I mean, how about one of us hides under the covers, we be the bait."

"No, it won't work," Dean said. "It's gotta get close enough to feed. Believe me I don't like it, but it's gotta be the kid."

* * *

Her heart pounded heavily in her chest, each thump pumping the adrenaline through her veins. This was it. This was her chance to prove herself. This was her chance to be a hunter. Ali stood behind the motel room door waiting anxiously for her instructions. Dean had managed to convince the kid, Michael, to be bait in order for them to catch and kill the monster who had been hurting all those children. With all the security cameras set up and feeding into the adjacent room, all that was left to do was wait.

Ali wasn't sure what she was meant to be doing, or what she should do if the thing showed up. She wanted nothing more than to fire an entire clip into the monster though she thought Dean wouldn't be too happy about that. Furthermore, she didn't see how she was going to kill anything with only her small blade. She checked the time. It was just coming up to 3am. She let her head fall back and rest against the wall she was leaning against, her excitement turning to exhaustion.

She heard someone clear their throat above her and opened her eyes to see Dean, his hand held out towards her. Ali stared at the revolver in Dean's outstretched hand, a smile pulling at her lips as she eagerly reached out to take it in her grasp. As she did, Dean pulled it away, his eyes shut as if he were deciding whether he would change his mind. With a sigh, he held it back out, this time allowing her to take it from him.

"You be careful, okay?" Dean said, serious eyes fixed on Ali's blue ones. She nodded, a little nervous at his tone. "And if something happens, if it comes at you, you use it. You do not hesitate, do you understand? You shoot that son-of-a-bitch right between the eyes,' he said, pointing to the middle of his forehead.

"I'm not gonna choke, Dean," Ali said, trying her best to sound convincing. She knew herself. If she had to, she could kill anything. Dean was silent for a minute as he considered her, the thought of the girl being in the same room as the monster that had almost killed Sam years ago, making him nauseous. After this, he would need a stiff drink.

"Bobby isn't going to kill me for giving you a gun, right?" he asked, a slightly scared expression on his face. Ali simply grinned back as she climbed to her feet.

"Guys," Sam said suddenly. "It's here." Ali peered past Sam to the screen to see that he was right. The shtriga was inside Michael's room.

"Let's go," Ali said, making for the door as she checked to make sure the Glock was full.

"Not yet," Dean said, putting a hand in front of her to stop her from entering Michael's room. Dean's eyes were glued to the screen as he waited for the right moment. The shtriga moved closer and closer to the bed. Each second that passed felt agonisingly slow but Dean knew he had to be patient. He waited until the creature had started to draw the energy from Michael before he signalled to the others.

"Michael, down!" Dean yelled as the three of them burst through the door. Ali watched as the kid rolled off the bed and scrambled underneath it. Sam and Dean began to both open fire on the monster, until finally it collapsed to the ground.

She watched as Dean approached it, anxiety building up inside her body. They thing remained still and silent, though Ali wasn't sure the worst was over. She still held the gun tightly in her fingers, but she was yet to fire it. Suddenly, the shtriga rose from its position and grabbed Dean by the throat, raising him above the ground. Ali's heart rate picked up as she back into the wall, watching in horror as the creature threw Dean across the room like he weighed nothing.

"Dean!" Sam yelled as his brother crumpled to the floor. Ali watched as Sam lunged for the monster, but it was too quick and managed to push Sam to the ground, using its weight to pin him to the floor.

Now it was Ali's turn to panic. She glanced over to Dean who was struggling to pull himself from the floor. Then her gaze snapped back to Sam. The monster was forcing his mouth open as it tried to drain him of his energy.

"Ali!" Sam shouted. She snapped out of her frozen panic and tightened her grip on the weapon, pushing away from the wall and walking closer to the monster.

"Shoot it!" Sam screamed at her and she raised the weapon up in front of her. Her hand was shaking as she aimed. She knew she was an excellent shot, but the shtriga was so close to Sam. What if she missed? What if she hit Sam by mistake?

"Ali!" he screamed again, and she knew she had to act fast. The monster had started to drain Sam of his energy and she could already see his skin start to pale. She aimed her weapon, but before she could pull the trigger, the popping sound of a rifle came from behind her. The shtriga released Sam and fell to the floor.

"Dammit, Ali," Dean muttered as he passed her, hurrying over to Sam to make sure he was okay. He pulled his brother to his feet and watched as the energy began to escape from the shtriga. Ali glanced down at the gun in her hand that was still full of ammunition, the weapon suddenly feeling heavy in her hands.

* * *

"Why did you do that?" Ali asked as Dean as they packed up their things in the motel room. They had just received a call from Sam at the hospital to say that all the kids were fine. "I had it."

"No, you didn't," Dean replied, his angry tone only just starting to appear. He had been acting pissed at her ever since the previous night and Ali had a hunch as to why.

"Yes, I -."

"No!" Dean barked, cutting Ali off. "You choked! You had your finger on the trigger and you choked. If I hadn't cut in Sam would be dead."

"I didn't have a clean shot, Dean," Ali explained, her voice icy. She couldn't believe what he was saying to her. Did he really believe the words coming out of his mouth?

"I've seen you hit much harder targets," Dean said. "You're good on paper, Ali, but when it comes to real life, you can't do it." He didn't even look up from his bag as he spoke, that simple gesture indicating how disappointed he was in her. "I knew something like this was gonna happen."

"You knew?" Ali asked incredulously, starting to raise her voice. "You didn't want me to make the shot! You wanted to prove yourself to John and now you're making it seem like a couldn't do it!"

"You can't, Ali!" he yelled at her, turning away from his packing to face her. "You wanted to come on a hunt to prove you could and you failed."

"Why are you so mad?" she shouted.

"Because you think you're a hunter because of your last name, but you don't know anything about real hunting. You're a kid! Not a hunter, a kid," Dean yelled. Ali could feel hot tears threatening to spill from under her eyelids but she held them back. "Go get in the car," he said in a low voice. "Get out of my sight!" Without another word, Ali ran for the door, making sure to slam it extra hard on the way out.

* * *

Sam glanced to the backseat to check on the sleeping girl. She had her black hood pulled up over her head as she slept against the window but he could still see the trails of tears that had crawled down her cheeks. Next, he glanced across to his brother in the driver's seat, his knuckles white as he gripped the steering wheel.

"Why'd you do it," he asked quietly so as not to wake Ali in the back.

"What do you mean?" Dean asked. Sam huffed.

"You know what, Dean," Sam replied. "I saw her. Ali didn't choke."

"Yeah, she did," Dean argued. "She aimed and she didn't pull the trigger."

"She would've if you'd given her a chance," Sam said, trying to understand his brother's motives. "Why, Dean?" The Winchester in the driver's seat sighed as he glanced in the rear-view mirror at the girl sleeping silently.

"I couldn't let her do it," he said finally, as if he was ashamed of what he had done. The truth was that Dean felt extremely guilty for all that he had said to Ali. Sam was right – she would have shot and killed the shtriga, but he couldn't have let it happen.

"Why not?" Sam asked.

"She's not even seventeen years old, Sammy. She doesn't deserve this life," Dean explained. "Not yet." Sam sighed.

"Dean, I don't think there's any way we can stop her from becoming a hunter," he said. "Her family have been hunting for years."

"I know, I know," Dean replied, feeling regretful for the way he had spoken to the girl. "I guess I just wanted her to be a kid for a bit longer, you know?" he said. "I didn't want her to grow up like we did."

"I think she already has," Sam said softly, understanding what Dean had done. Dean didn't say anything else, simply turning on the radio quietly to fill the silence and drown out the sound of his own thoughts swirling around his mind.

 **AN: Hope you liked this chapter :)**

 **Let me know what you thought, much love x**


	7. Chapter 7 - Trapped

Ali continued to sulk in the back of the impala and Sam wondered how long the behaviour would last for. More than a few weeks had passed since what he liked to call 'the fight' and he didn't see any sign of the girl and his brother reconciling. Sam had attempted to talk to Dean about what had happened but his efforts had been futile – his questioning was usually either met by an angry "drop it, Sammy," or "seriously, I'm fine!" the latter a clear sign of denial. Sam hadn't had much luck with the teenage girl either. Ali refrained from talking to both of them as much as possible, spending most of her time avoiding them in her motel room or excessively reading and studying any hunter related material she could get her hands on. They were both as stubborn as each other.

In the end, Sam had given up and succumbed to the role of an impartial spectator in their game of eye-rolls and tactless-jabs, a position he knew wouldn't aggravate the situation any further. He now referred to himself as Switzerland.

"Can we pull over at the next rest stop?" Ali's voice came from behind him, the slight edge in her tone causing Sam to sigh and pinch the bridge of his nose. He could feel an argument brewing.

"No," Dean grunted, swerving into the inner lane. There was a beat of silence and Sam prayed that the conversation had ended. His wish was not granted.

"Why not?" Ali asked as she sat upright in her seat. Sam was glad she had taken the seat behind him and not the one on the driver's side so she couldn't smack Dean in the back of the head.

"I wanna be outta the state before nightfall," Dean replied as he glanced up at the lowering sun. "We won't make it if we stop."

"We've been in this car for nearly six hours straight," the girl argued. "I just need to stretch my legs… and I have to pee," she added when there was no reply. Dean grumbled under his breath as his grip tightened on the steering wheel. Sensing the tension in the car, Sam leaned closer to his brother, thinking of a way to dispel the negativity that was building in the confined space.

"Look, I saw a sign for a gas station a couple miles back," he started, trying to come up with a plan that would please both parties. He himself wouldn't mind some time out of the car. "It won't take ten minutes."

Dean let out a harsh huff. "Fine," he replied, keeping his eyes fixed on the highway. Within a few minutes, he had turned off the main road and pulled up outside the gas station. The sun had sunken lower in the sky and he sighed in annoyance as he checked the time.

"Hurry up, I don't wanna be stuck here all day," he said as he swung the door open and climbed out of the driver's seat. Ali followed closely behind, not sparing him a glance as she stalked off in the direction of the rest room. "You're welcome," he called after her sarcastically. Dean couldn't see her face as she walked away from him, but he guessed he would've seen her roll her eyes in irritation.

Sam watched as Dean turned away from the girl and leaned casually against the impala. "Don't start," his brother said as he caught his eye.

"I didn't say anything," Sam replied, holding his hands up in mock surrender.

"Yeah, but you were thinkin," Dean said, folding his arms across his chest. There was a pause, and Dean winced in anticipation of Sam's next words.

"Dean," the younger Winchester sighed. "This can't go on," he told his brother. "I don't care if you don't want to. You gotta talk to her."

"I'm handling it," Dean insisted as he pulled away from the car and started to make his way towards the small store.

"You've gotta tell her the truth."

"I'm handling it, Sammy," he repeated with more force – it was almost a shout. "I'm gonna go grab a bite," he said with a sigh. "Can you fill her up?" he asked, gesturing to the car. Sam nodded defeatedly.

"Sure." Dean nodded and carried on into the store. He immediately grabbed a beer and a large packet of chips before heading over to the cash register, taking his time to glance at the magazines on the way. He selected one and joined the queue behind a woman, a kid that couldn't've been two yet cradled in her arms.

By the time Dean had made it to the front of the queue he had already opened the bag of potato chips and had munched his way through a good proportion of them. The balding cashier raised a bored eyebrow at him.

"Five-fifty," he grunted as he stared at Dean blankly. The elder Winchester slapped the correct amount onto the counter as he crunched on his snack.

"Thanks," he muttered, grabbing his goods and walking back outside. He spotted Sam by Baby, clearly having already filled up the tank whilst he was gone.

"Where's Ali?" he asked, instantly noticing that she was yet to return.

"In the restroom," Sam replied with a roll of his eyes. Dean frowned in annoyance.

"She's been gone a while," he commented as he handed the chips to Sam and cracked open his beer.

"Dean, it's been like five minutes," he said incredulously. Dean shot him a scowl but tried to let it go anyway as he took a much-needed gulp of his beer and tried to ignore the nagging feeling at the back of his mind. The seconds seemed to drag by endlessly and not before long, he was complaining about Ali's whereabouts again.

"We should go tell her to hurry up," he said as he tapped on the glass bottle nervously. "What's taking her so long?"

"I dunno, Dean. She's a girl. Maybe she has to do…" he trailed off as he tried to think of the right word. "…girl stuff." Dean flinched as a grimace took over his expression.

"Right. Maybe you should go check on her," he suggested. Sam had had enough.

"She's not a child, Dean. She doesn't need a babysitter," he said, his words coming out harsh, but fair. "If you're so worried, you go check on her." Dean shook his head at his brother's what-he-thought ludicrous suggestion, only to find himself taking the idea and making his way around the back of the store where the restrooms were.

The sky had darkened significantly since they had arrived. Dean could see the rays of light poking out from underneath the restroom door. The door was marked with both a male and female sign and Dean thanked his lucky stars that he wouldn't have to enter a women-only bathroom.

He pushed the door open slowly and peered around the door as he called, "Alisson?"

"What?" an irritated voice said from across the room. The teen had her hands under the running water in the sink, the feeble pressure meaning her cupped hands took a long time to fill. Once the water was spilling over her fingertips, she splashed it onto her face. The three cubicles on the other side of the compact room appeared to be empty.

"Everything alright?" Dean asked, feeling a little awkward for intruding. He wished he had listened to Sam.

"Yeah," she replied curtly. "You don't have to follow me to the bathroom in case a monster tries to eat me." Dean sent her an unimpressed looked before turning on his heel.

"Let's go," he instructed, making his way to the door and grasping the handle. He twisted it and shoved, surprised when it wouldn't budge. He fiddled with the handle again, rattling it as he tried to get it to turn all the way around. It wouldn't. He punched it in annoyance. "Dammit," he breathed as realisation hit him. "Sam," he muttered like the name was a curse word. "Sam!"

"Yeah?" He heard Sam's muffled voice on the other side of the door. He sounded almost…smug.

"Can you unlock the door please," he asked, growing more and more irritated by the second. Ali had joined him by the door now, her arms crossed firmly over her chest.

"Sorry I can't seem to find the key," Sam said lightly. Ali grumbled as she pushed past Dean and kicked at the door.

"Sam. Open the damn door," she requested through gritted teeth, banging on the metal with her fist.

"I can't do that," Sam said. "Not until you two start talking to each other again."

"You want us to hug and discuss our feelings? Is that it?" Dean asked as if the mere suggestion disgusted him.

"Sounds about right."

"This isn't a game, Sam," Dean said angrily. "Stop messing around, I'm serious."

"So am I," Sam replied through the door. "You two need to sort it out because I'm done playing referee."

"Sam, I swear to god…" Ali threatened, her fingers curling into fists once again below her too-long sleeves.

"I'll be back in a couple of hours," Sam said, ignoring the protests from Ali and Dean.

"Sam!" they both shouted in annoyance, but it was too late. Ali walked away, going further into the small bathroom as Dean remained by the door, kicking at it in the hopes it would magically swing open. The clanging sound gave her a headache and she was glad when he finally stopped.

"I hope you realise this is your fault," she said, sending Dean a glare. "If you didn't insist on babysitting me every second Sam wouldn't've been able to lock us in."

"Yeah, well if you hadn't made me pull over it wouldn't have happened in the first place!" Dean scolded back, his voice full of bite. Ali didn't respond, simply leaning against the tiled wall and letting herself slide down to the floor. The bathroom looked pretty grimy to say the least, but she chose a spot that didn't look too bad.

She watched Dean on the other side of the room as he leaned against the opposite wall. He had his body turned away from her. Suddenly his shoulders seemed to tense and he straightened up. Ali furrowed her brow at him as he patted down his jeans as if searching for something.

"Jackass took my gun," Ali heard him mumble as he kicked over the trash can in annoyance. She rolled her eyes at his childish behaviour. After not very long, Dean had joined her on the floor, though still kept a distance between them. She watched as he flicked through a magazine, his eyes trained on the shiny pages.

"Busty Asian Beauties," Ali read, making out the letters on the cover from across the room. "Seriously?" Dean looked up and sent her what she would only describe as a bitch face.

The pair fell back into silence as Dean flicked through the magazine and Ali tried to think of as many reasons as possible why she should go back to Bobby's.

 _Reason one: Bobby didn't treat her like a seven-year-old. Most of the time._

 _Reason two: she never had to sit in the back of the car at Bobby's. It was always the passenger seat._

 _Reason three: although she knew that Bobby wouldn't help her find out what happened to her brother, she wasn't sure how likely it would be that Sam and Dean would help her. They'd said they would, but they hadn't delivered at all in the months she had been with them._

 _Reason four: no more dingy hotel rooms. That was enough of a reason in itself._

 _Reason five: she already felt like she had overstayed her welcome. If they weren't going to let her help on another hunt, what was the point in even being there?_

 _Reason six –_

"You know, Sam's not gonna let us out until we talk to each other." Dean's voice interrupted Ali's thoughts and she looked up to see him making eye contact with her. She shot him a quizzical look.

"Are you saying we should talk?" she asked sceptically. Dean scoffed.

"Hell no," he replied. "I'm saying we should try to find a way to get outta here ourselves." Ali sighed in annoyance.

"If you wanna try to break the door down, be my guest. I'm good sitting here until Sam gets bored," she said. _Was he trying to extend an olive branch?_ Ali wasn't going to cave that easily.

"Fine, act like a child, fine by me." Ali looked up as her eyes narrowed at the man before her.

"What is your obsession with calling me a kid?" she asked as she stood up, growing angry. She was pissed and this needed to be sorted out once and for all. "I'm nearly seventeen. I'm older that you were when you started hunting."

"That doesn't mean you're ready," Dean said with a shake of his head.

"Are you fucking kidding me?!" Ali yelled disbelievingly. "Hunting is my whole life. I've been training practically since I was born!"

"Look, Ali, I know you have," Dean sighed. "I know you're a _Venator_ and you wanna find out about your brother, but this doesn't have to be it for you. You don't have to be a hunter."

"Yes, I do, Dean. How do you not get that?" Dean stared at her with something of regret in his eyes. Ali wasn't sure if it was for what he had said or for letting her come with them at the start. "You know what Venator means?"

"I don't need a Latin lesson from you," Dean scoffed.

"It means hunter," Ali told him. Dean looked up at her, meeting her eyes. "You're right when you say hunting is your family business. But you know what, Dean. It's mine too." She took a breath before she spoke again, her eyes fixed on Dean as she hoped her words would get through to him. "I never made it to freshman year of high school," she said. "I can't go to Stanford like Sam did. _This_ is my life. There's nothing else for me." Ali paused, her words full of sincerity. "And if there was, I wouldn't want it."

Dean didn't say anything as he processed her words. Although he wasn't going to admit it, he understood what she was saying. It made sense. He didn't know a hunter that didn't know the name Venator. They were one of the oldest families of hunters, and Ali was one of them.

"I didn't choke, Dean," she said quietly, referring to the hunt she had been allowed to participate in. "I didn't know if I had a clean shot. I might have taken it if it had been someone else. But it was _Sam_." Ali held her breath as Dean turned towards her again. He blinked once before he spoke.

"I believe you." Ali let a small smile tug at her lips at his words and she nodded.

"You wanna call Sam so we can get the hell outta here," she said and Dean chuckled.

"Gladly." Ali watched as Dean pulled out his phone. She pulled her jumper over her hands, her skin feeling a little cool. She thought nothing of it until she noticed goose bumps forming on Dean's outstretched hand.

"Did you just feel that?" she asked as her eyes grew wide. Dean looked up from the phone.

"It's nothing," he said, shaking off the suggestion that it was anything more sinister. "It's past nightfall, probably just getting colder."

"It was like 80 degrees out," Ali commented, her heart racing as adrenaline started pumping around her body. She wrapped her arms around her body as she tried to keep warm, the air feeling like it had dropped at least 20 degrees. Dean continued to dial Sam's number, but started in shock when he noticed his breath. It was condensing in the air, each exhale causing a small white cloud to form before it dispersed into the air.

"Okay, that's weird," he said as he straightened up.

"It almost like –."

"No, don't say it," Dean said, cutting her off and praying she was wrong. He knew she wasn't.

"Cold spots," she said finally, blowing a long breath out into the freezing air before the strip lighting started to flicker.

* * *

Sam sat in the passenger seat of the stationary impala as he worked his way through Dean's bag of chips. He checked his watch. It had only been a little over forty minutes since he had left Dean and Ali in the bathroom. He would wait at least another twenty before he would go and check that they hadn't killed each other.

He flicked through his father's journal, looking for any more information that he didn't already know. He let another five minutes pass before he hopped out of the car, deciding he needed some water. As he slammed the door however, he heard a blood curdling scream coming from inside the store. Alarmed and concerned, he grabbed Dean's Glock he had lifted from him and sprinted to the store.

The screaming hadn't stopped by the time he arrived and he held the gun up in front of him as he rounded the corner. His eyes widened when he saw a woman, maybe in her late twenties, holding a child tightly in her arms and screaming her lungs out. She looked absolutely terrified. Sam placed the gun into his jeans before rushing to her side.

"Are you okay?" he asked, placing a hand on her shoulder. She flinched at the contact, but stopped screaming. Now she just shook with terror. "What happened?" He watched as she extended a shaky hand to her right, though she turned her head away as if she didn't want to look.

Sam gasped at the sight of what looked like the cashier lying on the floor, his eyes wide open though he was definitely not alive. What appeared to be four pencils were protruding out of the man's neck, his white shirt drenched in oozing crimson blood.

Sam tightened his jaw at the sight before placing an arm around the woman and pulling her away from the gory scene. She was breathing heavily and Sam worried she might turn hysterical.

"Hey, hey," he said as he sat her down. She pulled her child onto her lap and held her close. "What's your name?"

"H-Hannah," she stuttered as she squeezed her eyes shut, trying to get rid of the grotesque image from her mind.

"Hannah," he repeated back to her. "I'm Sam." He sent her a reassuring smile to try to calm her down. "You're gonna be alright. Now, can you tell me what happened?"

"I- I was in here earlier but I forgot to pick up vitamins for my husband," she said shakily. "And when I came back I just found him like that." She whimpered at the memory, tears escaping her eyes.

"You didn't see it happen?" he asked and she shook her head. Just then, Sam heard his phone start to ring and he answered it quickly. "Dean?"

 _"Sam, look I don't have time to explain but you need to come and let us out right now,"_ Dean said urgently. _"Actually, go into the store first, get everyone out, and them come and get us."_

"Why?" Sam asked, baffled as how Dean could know there was an emergency.

 _"Cold spots, Sam,"_ Dean said. _"Cold. Spots."_

"Okay, I'm in there now with a woman and her kid. We'll head out now," Sam told Dean as he motioned for the woman to stand up.

 _"Wait, what about the cashier?"_ Dean asked, already regretting asking.

"The cashier's dead," Sam said with a wince, he heard Dean release a breath down the phone.

 _"What? How?"_ he asked.

"Something stuck four pencils in his neck," Sam said grimly.

 _"Pencils, huh?"_ Dean commented. _"What kinda pencils?"_ Sam heard Ali scoff faintly on the other end of the line.

"I dunno, HB? Does it matter?" Sam asked. Dean ignored the question.

 _"Could you just hurry up? It's getting pretty chilly in here"_ he asked sarcastically.

"Sure," Sam agreed, walking towards the door to the store, Hannah and her kid following closely behind. But as he approached the automatic doors, the lights started to flicker, and the door didn't slide open like it should have. "Dean?" he said with a frown. "We may have a problem."

* * *

"Shit," Ali breathed as Dean hung up the phone. The lights continued to flicker and every now and again, the pair would spend a few seconds in complete darkness. "What kinda ghost haunts a fricking gas station?"

"A clever one," Dean commented as he inspected the hinges on the door that was trapping them inside. "It's gotten into the electrics. Put that together with pencil guy…my best bet is vengeful spirit."

"Great," Ali said sarcastically. "And we're stuck in here with no weapons, no way to defend ourselves and no way out."

"In other words, we're screwed." Ali bit her lip at Dean's words. They were screwed. And they didn't have a plan.

"The doors in the store are glass, right?" she remembered. "Can't they just smash through them?"

"Nah, those kinda windows would be double thickness. And probably alarmed," Dean said. "Don't want the cops showing up." Ali nodded. Cops would mean more people and with a vengeful spirit wandering around, that meant more bodies.

They fell into silence as they both tried to come up with a plan. Ali couldn't think of anything, and after a few minutes, she grew frustrated. In her annoyance, she kicked on the cubicle door causing it to swing open and bash against the wall. She folded her arms as Dean sent her a look, but she ignored it. As she stared at the dimly lit cubicle, something caught her eye. She walked through the door, pushing the metal door to the side as she looked up above the toilet.

"Dean," she said as she raised her hand to the edge of it, her nail scraping against it. Dean emerged at the entrance to the cubicle, his eyes inquisitive. "Come look at this." Ali stepped aside so Dean could take a look.

"What am I looking at," he asked as he tapped on what looked like a piece of wood.

"It's nailed to the wall," she replied as she stared at it hopefully. "Could be a boarded-up window." Ali quickly rushed from the cubicle and grabbed at a row of five metal poles that made up a shelf above the sink. "Help me with this, would you?" she asked as she tried to pull one of them loose.

"Why?" Dean asked, unsure about her bizarre behaviour.

"Well I don't have a crow bar on me. Do you?" she asked sarcastically. He shot her another look before grabbing the loosest of the poles and yanking it as hard as he could. Eventually he managed to get it free, immediately rushing into the cubicle and smacking the wooden board with it. When he had broken it from the others a piece of metal had snapped off of the side, meaning there was a sharp edge that was advantageous for what they needed to do. He continued to hit the wooden board as much as he could, the wood splintering from the impact of the metal. Eventually, he had made big enough of a hole for him to get his hand inside and rip the wood away with his hands. It looked old and didn't take much force to clear it completely, revealing a small square window. There was already a hole in the glass, the edges cracked. Ali grabbed the pole from Dean, closing her eyes as she sent the pole straight through the window.

"Gimme a leg-up, would you?" she asked as she dropped the pole to the ground.

"No way," Dean said, shaking his head.

"Do you wanna die?" Ali asked incredulously. "I can fit through the window, unlock the door and then we can go gank this thing."

"There's no way I'm letting you out there alone," Dean said with a frown. Ali rolled her eyes.

"Dean, I can do this," she said, looking him straight in the eye. "Trust me?" Dean paused for a moment as he bit his lip, thoughts of all the things that could go wrong swirling around his mind. But this was their only plan, and they had no other way out.

"Okay," he said finally, lacing his hands together to give her a step. Ali climbed up to the window, using her sleeve to wipe away the shards of glass from the sill. She carefully pulled herself through the window, sitting on the edge as she manoeuvred her small frame out into the darkness. Once she was on the outside, she placed her hands on the window ledge and let herself drop to the floor, glass shards crunching under the feet. She glanced down at her stinging hands, the left far worse than the right. The glass shards from the sill had left a deep gash on her palm and she squeezed her fist tight for a moment to try and ease the ache. Realising they might be running out of time, she ripped a piece of her shirt off and wrapped the material around her hand as a makeshift bandage. It stung like hell but she realised she needed to suck it up if she was going to be able to hunt effectively. She ran around to the front of the restrooms and turned the latch on the door before pulling it open, revealing Dean standing ready behind it.

"Let's go get this son-of-a-bitch."

* * *

"Whatever you do, don't leave this circle," Sam said as he poured salt out of a bag into a ring around Hannah and her daughter, Emily. The child stood at her mother's feet, her face pressed into the side of her leg as if the fact that she couldn't see anything meant that the monster couldn't see her. Sam hoped that the ring of salt would buy him enough time to get rid of the spirit.

"H-how do you know this will work?" Hannah asked franticly as she clung to her daughter. "What the hell is that thing?"

"We think it's a vengeful spirit, a kind of ghost," Sam explained as he pulled out Dean's gun and checked to see how much ammunition he had. He didn't have his shotgun that was usually filled with rock salt so he shoved the gun back into his jeans and picked up the bag of salt. He would have to improvise.

"How do you know so much about this?" Hannah asked, picking up her child and holding her to keep her safe.

"It's my job," Sam explained.

"So…you hunt ghosts?" she asked with a frown.

"Yeah, and anything else that goes bump in the night." Just then, there was a loud bang, causing both Sam and Hannah to jump back in shock, a small yelp escaping Hannah's lips. "Stay here," Sam instructed as he made his way towards the source of the noise. As he walked, the lights started to flicker more violently. He wasn't sure what his plan was if he came face to face with the thing. Their usual plan when dealing with spirits was to salt and burn the corpse, but they were stuck inside. Even if they could get out, there was no way they would be able to find where whoever it was had been buried. He heard another crash and reached over to a shelf, picking up another bag of salt.

Suddenly, a figure materialised in front of him. The man was pale, the only colour in his face coming from the steady stream of blood that flowed from his mouth. Sam heard Hannah scream as the ghost appeared and Sam yelled back to her to keep inside the circle. The spirit's form flickered, like static on a television, before it sent a force across the store, knocking Sam backwards across the room. He slid back across the lino floor, his spine colliding with the bottom of a shelf. He groaned as he climbed to his feet. The spirit continued to flicker, his body reappearing closer and closer to him.

Sam noticed then that the spirit was wearing a similar uniform to the dead cashier, but the thought didn't have long to register in his mind before he was thrown back again, this time his head smacking against the floor. He struggled to sit up as his vision blurred, the ghost getting closer to him again. It was them that he noticed two figures behind the glass automatic doors. He squinted at them, making out the shapes of Dean and Ali trying to prise the doors open. That gave him an idea. He reached out to his left to grab the bag of salt just as the apparition lunged for him. Sam ripped the bag open, flinging the contents at the monster with as much force as he could muster. As soon as the grains hit its translucent body, it vanished. The younger Winchester glanced over to the doors just as they slid open, Dean and Ali stumbling through them.

Ali spotted Sam's form on the floor and rushed to him whilst Dean escorted the woman and her child out to safety. She grabbed his arm when she met him and yanked him up.

"Sam?" she asked, her face contorted with worry as she snapped her fingers in front of his face. "You good?"

"Yeah," he replied as he climbed to his feet and rubbed the back of his head where it had connected with the hard floor.

"How long do you think we have before it comes back?" Ali asked as she grabbed a bag of salt for herself. Suddenly the lights started to flicker again before they flashed off and the store was plunged into darkness.

"Not long," Sam said. "We need to figure out how to kill this thing."

"How?" Ali asked. "We don't have a clue were the bones are?" Sam thought for a moment, remembering the uniform he had seen the ghost wearing.

"He worked here," Sam said. "Maybe we don't need to burn his bones."

"What? Are you saying we need to burn the whole gas station to the ground?" Ali asked disbelievingly.

"No," Sam said quickly. "Ghosts can be attached to a single object. Like a painting or a mirror."

"So, we just have to work out what object it's attached to?" Ali clarified. Sam nodded. "He was a cashier, right?" she asked as they made their way through the store. Hannah and her child were now safely outside, but the doors had jammed again before Dean made it back inside. "Maybe the cash register?" Ali suggested.

"Right," Sam agreed. "But we can't light it up in here. We need to get it outside."

Ali ran over to the register, dodging the body of the cashier that was still on the ground. She unplugged it as quickly as she could just as the ghostly figure appeared again. She watched as Sam lead it away from her, a bag of salt in his hand. They spirit trailed him as it forced objects to fly across the room. Sam ducked away from the flying groceries as Ali grabbed the register. It was heavy, but the adrenaline was pumping through her veins and giving her extra strength to do what she needed to do. She staggered with it to the door, grabbing a lighter off the shelf on the way. When she had made it, she turned around and signalled to Sam that she was ready. Sam nodded before he launched the salt at the ghost, causing it to temporarily vanish. The doors slid open and she heaved the register through the door.

Dean was waiting on the other side and Ali yelled to him to grab the gasoline from the trunk. She carried the register as fast as she could away from the gas station and let it fall onto the grass as Dean rushed over with the flammable liquid. He quickly unscrewed the lid before drenching the cash register with the contents.

"You wanna do the honours?" Dean asked as he gestured to the ground. Ali looked up at him and let a small smirk tug at her lips. She pulled out the lighter she had taken from the store and flicked it on before dropping it onto the machine. It ignited instantly, orange flames encasing the plastic.

* * *

Sam winced as Ali helped him lower himself into the passenger seat of the impala.

"Good call with the cash register by the way," he smiled but it came out as more of a grimace. Ali had told him that he most likely had a concussion and that he should take it easy for a couple of days. She had refrained from chastising him for locking herself and Dean in the bathroom, figuring getting his ass kicked by a vengeful spirit was enough of a punishment.

"Guys?" she heard Dean say. She and Sam looked up to see him jogging over, his thumb pointed over his shoulder. "She's about to call the cops."

"We should take off," Ali suggested, receiving nods from both Winchesters. She slid into the back seat and pulled her belt across, sinking into the soft leather with exhaustion. Ali couldn't help but feel pleased at the memory of watching the object the ghost was attached to going up in flames. It was almost like a rush, a high, and she knew then in that moment that she meant every word she had said to Dean: she was born to do this. She was born to be a hunter.

* * *

 **AN: Hello! So sorry it's been ages since I updated this. Just been super busy recently and haven't had much time to work on this.**

 **Hope you are enjoying the story so far. What has been your fave bit so far and what do you think of Ali as a character in the supernatural world?**

 **Let me know what you thought, much love x**


	8. Chapter 8 - Dead Man's Blood

The scent of something sickly sweet wafted in Ali's direction as the waitress placed a large slice of pie in front of an eager looking Dean. She watched with a turned-up nose as he drenched it in some kind of syrup and grabbed a fork.

"Hey Ali, you spoken to Bobby recently?" Dean asked between mouthfuls.

"Yeah, a few days ago," she replied. Dean had made a habit of checking that Ali was making regular contact with the older hunter. It was no secret that she was like a daughter to him and after everything she had put him through when she had left to find Sam and Dean, he thought it was the right thing to do.

The truth of the matter was in fact that Ali hadn't spoken to Bobby in almost a month. Although she liked her life with the Winchesters, she was afraid that if she heard Bobby's voice too often, she would miss him too much. She knew he would be worrying about her but she still couldn't bring herself to pick up the phone. Given this, it was safe to say that she had perfected the art of lying to Dean about it, and she knew it was for the best.

"Any leads yet?" Ali asked as she took another sip of her coffee. They had spent the last couple of hours sitting in the greasy diner looking for a case and she was getting edge, though that probably had more to do with the fact that she was on her fourth espresso.

"Uh a woman in South Dakota fell ten thousand feet from an aeroplane and survived," Dean suggested. Ali shot him a look as Sam rolled his eyes, focusing back onto his laptop. "What else you got?"

"Ah, a man in Colorado, a local man named Daniel Elkins was found mauled in his home," Sam read from the computer screen. Ali noticed Dean raise an eyebrow at the mention of the name.

"Elkins? I know that name," Dean said, and Ali couldn't help but feel like she did too.

"Doesn't ring a bell," Sam said with a shake of his head. Dean grabbed his father's journal from the table and started to leaf through it, searching for what he was looking for.

"Sounds like the police don't know what to think," Sam continued as Dean carried on his search. "At first they said it was some sort of bear attack and now they've found some signs of robbery."

"There, check it out," Dean said, sliding the journal across the table to Sam. Ali shifted her position so she could see too. Cogs were turning in her mind as she tried to place where she had heard the name before. She knew it hadn't been from John's journal.

"You think it's the same Elkins?" Sam asked, looking at the name scribbled on the page.

"It's a Colorado area code," Dean pointed out.

"I guess we're going to Colorado," Ali said, downing the rest of her coffee and slipping out of the booth.

* * *

The impala pulled up outside the old cabin and Sam and Dean got out into the crisp air.

"Ali, you coming?" Dean asked as he slammed the door. Ali was a little taken aback by the invite to investigate the house but didn't turn it down, simply smiling to herself and joining the boys outside the house.

After trying to handle a few times, Sam pulled his lock pick from his pocket and knelt down by the door, carefully inserting the two piece and moving them around until he heard a click. The door swung open and the three of them filed in. Ali noted that she needed to ask Sam to teach her that.

"Looks like the maid didn't come today," Dean commented as he took a look at the state the room was in. Papers, files, books and god knows what else was piled high on the surfaces and floor in a seemingly unorganised fashion. Ali took a look around, spotting something by the door that caught her attention and jogged her memory a little about who this guy was.

"Hey guys? There's salt over here," she said, bending down and fingering the white grains on the carpet. Sam looked up from the book he was looking at as his brother pulled out one of the journals.

"You mean protection against demon salt, or 'whoops I spilled the popcorn' salt?" Dean asked.

"It's clearly a ring," Sam said, walking over to Ali and examining it for himself. "Do you think this guy Elkins was a player?"

"Definitely," Dean replied and Ali had to agree with him. She was starting to remember who this Elkins guy was now. She remembered vaguely her father mentioning him when she was much younger and her brother talking about him quite a bit. He was a hunter, but the significance of him she did not know. She followed the Winchester brothers through a set of doors to another room, this one equally as rammed full of things as the other, though there were clearly signed of a struggle. She shined her touch up at the ceiling, spotting a large hole in the roof that definitely wasn't meant to be there.

"Whatever attacked him, it looks like there was more than one," Sam said, eyeing the hole in the roof as well. They continued to search the room for any more clues and not before long, Dean was crouched on the ground inspecting something on the wooden floor.

"You got something?" Sam asked, walking over to join Dean.

"Some scratches," he replied, taking a page from a notebook and taking a rubbing of the indentations. "Maybe a message." He held the paper up to Sam so he could see it to.

"Three letters, six digits," Sam said, taking the paper from Dean. "The location and combination of a post office box. It's a mail drop." Dean nodded.

"Just the way Dad does it."

* * *

Sam and Dean climbed into the impala after visiting the post office, Ali having waited in the back seat for them. She peered over the seat, her chin resting on the leather as she eyed the envelope in Dean's hand.

"J.W.?" she read. "You think John Winchester?"

"I don't know," Dean replied, his eyes trained on the package too. "Should we open it?" Suddenly, there was a knock on the driver's window. The three in the impala reared back in shock, Dean ready to pull his gun as Ali slid to the other side of the back seat. They all stared at the figure out in the darkness as it lowered its head to the widow.

"Dad?" Dean said in surprise, his guard dropping immediately as John pulled open the back door and slid in next to Ali. He glanced at her first, his expression unreadable before he turned to his two sons. The blonde girl stared at him in shock before schooling her features.

"Dad what are you doing here?" Sam asked his father. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah, I'm okay," John replied, sending his two boys a reassuring smile. "I read the news about Daniel, I got here as fast as I could."

"Wait, you came all the way out here for this Elkins guy?" Sam asked.

"Yeah," John replied sadly. "He was...he was a good man. He taught me a hell of a lot about hunting."

"Well you never mentioned him to us," Sam commented. John sighed.

"We had a... we had kind of a falling out. I hadn't seen him in years." Ali had to stop herself from rolling her eyes at him. It was clear that John Winchester had a habit of getting on people's bad side, particularly hunters'. "I should look at that," he said, gesturing for Dean to hand him the envelope. He opened it reading the first few sentences outload. "'If you're reading this, I'm already dead.' That son of a bitch."

"What is it?" Dean asked.

"He had it the whole time," John said under his breath, but it was loud enough for the rest of the car to hear, including Ali. She frowned.

"Had what?" she asked, but John ignored her question.

"When you searched the place, did you see a gun," he asked urgently. "An old revolver, an antique, did you see it?" Ali's eyes went wide at John's words.

"Ah, there was an old case but it was empty," Dean replied. It was clear neither of the Winchester boys knew what their father was talking about, but Ali was starting to think that she did.

"They have it," John said. Ali was staring at him, adrenaline pumping through her veins. She could here Dean asking another question but she blocked it out, focusing all her attention on the man next to her.

"Are you talking about what I think you're talking about?" she asked John in a low voice, her tone dead serious.

"Leave it, Allison," John replied as he started to climb out of the back seat. Ali leapt after him, scrabbling to get out of the car as fast as possible.

"Are you talking about the Colt?" Her voice cut through the air like a bullet. John pinched his nose before turning to face her.

"I don't have time to deal with this right now, Allison," he said in a hushed voice, glancing over to Sam and Dean as they climbed out of the car too. "We gotta pick up the trail." Ali wanted to continue arguing but the look on John's face told her to drop it. She would take it up with him later when Sam and Dean weren't around.

"You want us to come with you?" Sam asked incredulously.

"If Elkins was telling the truth we gotta find this gun," John replied.

"The gun, why?" John's eyes glanced over to Ali whose eyes were trained on the ground, her teeth gritted together as she breathed through them. She was pissed, and he knew it.

"Because it's important, that's why," he replied, his eyes moving back to his son.

"Dad, we don't even know what these things are yet," Sam said.

"They were what Daniel Elkins killed best," John explained as he released a breath.

"Vampires," Ali replied for him. The three Winchesters' eyes snapped to her but her expression was blank. Nonchalant. She had finally realised why she knew this Elkins guy's name. He was a Vampire hunter. One of the best. John nodded, signalling that she was right.

"Vampires?" Dean asked, looking between Ali and his father. "I thought there was no such thing."

"You never even mentioned them," Sam said.

"I thought they were extinct," John explained. Ali herself had never seen one before, but she had heard stories. She remembered her father telling her stories about them when she was very little. How they would drain people of blood. How they could live for hundreds of years. But most importantly, how to kill them. "I thought Elkins and others had wiped them out. I was wrong," John continued. "Most vampire law is crap. A cross won't repel them, sunlight won't kill them and neither will a stake to the heart. But the bloodlust, that's true. They need fresh human blood to survive. They were once people, so you won't know it's a vampire until it's too late." Ali shivered at the thought. She hated vampires, she always had. Even the idea of them gave her the heebie-jeebies.

"So how do you kill a vampire?" Dean asked, his expectant gaze on his father. John looked up, his eyes locking with Ali's. He wanted to test her knowledge.

She rolled her eyes before releasing a breath. "Decapitation," she said grimly. "Machete oughtta do it."

* * *

John Winchester sat in the chair, radio in hand as he listened for any leads of where the vampires may have attacked next. He had his elbows resting on his knees, his eyes drifting from his two sons sleeping on the beds and Ali who was curled up on the chair across from him, her eyes shut.

"I know you're awake," he said finally, his gaze moving over to the blonde girl. For a moment, she didn't move an inch, but then her eyes blinked open and she pulled herself into a sitting position, careful not to make too much noise. She didn't want to wake Sam or Dean. "So, you wanna talk about the Colt." It wasn't a question.

"I wanna talk about what happens after we find it," she whispered, but the bite behind her words was still there.

"Miss Venator, you may know a lot about hunting, but I'm not just gonna hand over something that powerful to a-."

"You're planning on using it to kill that demon, right?" Ali asked, cutting him off. John nodded his head. "I've heard the stories. That guns supposed to be able to kill anything."

"That's right," John agreed. "So, what? You want in on this?"

"You know I've been wanting to get my hands on the Colt for a long time," Ali said harshly and almost accusingly. "That gun is all Tyler ever talked about." John didn't respond, he simply continued to look at her. "But you knew that too, didn't you?"

"Look, I knew Tyler was onto something, but I didn't know what," he said defensively. "There's no way he would've told me, you of all people should understand that." Ali's fist clenched on the arm rest at the mention of her brother from John's lips. Even though it had been over five years since his death, she still didn't like talking about him.

"It doesn't matter what Tyler knew," she said quickly, trying to move the conversation on. "I want the Colt. It's that simple."

"I know you do, but that's not gonna happen," John said carefully, not wanting to aggravate the girl any further. "I have to kill this demon."

"And I have to kill the demon who hurt Tyler," she said angrily, her emotions starting to get the better of her. She could fell tears starting to form in her eyes and she pushed them back. She could cry in from of John Winchester.

"I'm sorry, Allison," John said, and Ali was surprised at how sincere he sounded. She shook her head at him.

"There's no way I'm letting you screw me over on this." John opened his mouth to speak but before he had a chance to say what he wanted to say, a voice came over the radio and he stood up, calling to his sons to get out of bed.

"Sam, Dean, let's go," he said, shaking them both awake as he grabbed his coat. They groggily sat up, rubbing their eyes as they climbed out of bed. "I picked up a police call."

"What happened?" Sam asked as he pulled on his jacket.

"A couple called 911, found a body in the street," John explained. "Cops got there, everyone was missing. It's the vampires."

Ali climbed out of her chair and started to put her arms in the sleeves of her jacket. Noticing her movements, John's eyes snapped towards her.

"You're staying here," he said pointedly. Ali narrowed her eyes.

"Are you kidding me?" she asked incredulously, her voice turning into a shout. Noticing the commotion, Dean turned to see Ali and his father staring each other down, both fuming.

"No, I'm not kidding," he said, his voice raised. "You're gonna stay here, not get involved and not get in the way of the job."

"Fuck that, you can't tell me what to do!" Ali yelled, her anger about their previous conversation bubbling over into this one. She hated being told what to do, especially by John Winchester, a man who had about as much authority over her as the vampires they were hunting. John took a breath and walked closer to her, bending down so his face was inches from hers.

"You may be a Venator, but right now, you're my responsibility." His voice was quiet but still livid. "And I'm not gonna be the one to tell Bobby that I was the one who got you killed." Ali's jaw clenched. "Now sit down and don't move. That's an order."

Ali stayed put as she stared back at him, her expression schooled as she blatantly disobeyed him. Sam and Dean were tense as they watched on, both of them seeing an exchange they didn't understand. They knew their father was angry, but so was Ali. They had seen her angry before, but never like this.

"Don't push me, Allison. I'm serious," John said again, his voice low and commanding. "Not today." The older hunter pulled away, satisfied that he had made his point loud and clear.

"Let's go," Dean said, trying to dispel the tightness of the air that seemed to be suffocating him. He knew Sam had felt it too, but neither of them would dare to ask what the hell that had been about. Dean knew from their last encounter that when it came to Allison Venator and his father, he had to tread carefully, but he had yet to learn why.

* * *

Ali watched boredly as Sam paced around the room. They had been out all night on the search for the Colt and had come back with nothing but a few bruises and a nest of vampires on their arses. Dean was out fetching something for the hunt, leaving her, Sam and John alone in the motel room. None of them were talking and Ali could sense that something had gone down whilst they were out between Sam and his dad. Something big. Ali wished she had gone with Dean just so she wouldn't have to witness the awkward tension between the two.

"It shouldn't be taking this long," Sam said anxiously, referring to Dean. "I should go help."

"Dean's got it," John said, looking up to watch Sam. Silence fell on the three of them once again, a choking silence that made it hard for Ali to breathe. She needed to get out, she needed to be somewhere that wasn't in the motel room with John Winchester.

"I gonna grab a coffee," she said suddenly as she stood from the chair and pulled on her coat. "Sam, you want anything," she asked absentmindedly. Sam declined but Ali barely even noticed as she pulled open the door and walked out into the corridor. She had sworn she had seen a coffee machine on the way in and even if she didn't, she was glad for the excuse to leave.

She remembered her father mentioning the Colt to her many years before. He hadn't known then if it was just a myth, but now Ali knew better. After her parents passed away, it became a sort of mission for her brother, Tyler, to find it. She wasn't sure why, it wasn't for revenge. She thought now that maybe he just needed a distraction from the absence her parents' death inevitably caused.

Ali rarely thought of the time between the death of her parents and the disappearance of her brother, perhaps because it reminded her of all she had lost. Mostly, her and Tyler had their time in motel rooms looking for hunting jobs. There was an eight-year age gap between her and her brother, so Tyler had felt he could always look out for her. In reality, she knew that it must have been a great burden for him to have that much responsibility. He was barely fifteen when they had been orphaned and in the first year or so, they spent a lot of time at Bobby's place. That seemed to be the reason Bobby had agreed to take her in after Tyler went missing four years later. Bobby's place was her safe haven. Her home.

"Ali?" Dean's voice came from behind her and she turned around, noticing the paper bag he was holding instantly. "You okay?"

"Yeah," she replied, wiping a hand across her face to brush away the tears she hadn't realised had fallen. She didn't find the coffee machine and doubted its existence in the first place. "Did you get what you needed?"

"Yep," he replied as they made their way back to the motel room. "Man, some heavy security to protect a bunch of dead guys," he joked as they pushed through the door.

"Get it?" John asked. Dean opened up the paper bag to reveal a bottle full of what looked like blood and handed it to his dad. John smiled. "You know what to do."

* * *

"Toss this on the fire," John instructed his son's as he pulled out a jar of herbs. "It'll block our scent and hers, until we're ready." He glanced over to the tree where one of the vampire they had captured was tied up. Dean had managed to distract her long enough for Sam to shoot her with an arrow soaked in dead man's blood, something poisonous to vampires.

"Stuff stinks!" Dean said as he through the contents of the jar into the fire.

"That's the idea," John said. "Dust your clothes with the ashes and you stand a chance of not being detected."

"You sure they'll come after her?" Sam asked.

"Yeah," he replied. "Vampires mate for life. She means more to the leader than the gun. But the blood sickness is going to wear off soon, so you don't have a lot of time."

"A half hour oughtta do it," Sam said.

"And then I want you out of the area as fast as you can. You go back to the motel, pick up the girl and then you leave."

"Dad, you can't take care of them all," Dean argued.

"I'll have her," he said, motioning to the vampire. "And the colt."

"But then we're gonna meet up, right?" Sam asked. "Use the gun together?" There was a long pause as John released a breath. "You're leaving again, aren't you? You still wanna go after the demon alone." Sam was starting to get irritated again, his father's decisions getting under his skin. "You know, I don't get you. You can't treat us like children!"

"You are my children. I'm trying to keep you safe," John told them.

"Dad, all due respect but, that's a bunch of crap," Dean said and the others looked at him in shock, especially Sam who had always thought Dean followed their father's every word. "You know what Sammy and I have been hunting. Hell, you sent us on a few hunting trips yourself. You can't be that worried about keeping us safe."

"It's not the Same thing, Dean," John tried to explain.

"Then what is it?" Dean asked. "Why do you want us out of the big fight?"

"This demon? It's a bad son of a bitch," John said. "I can't make the same moves if I'm worried about keeping you alive."

"You mean you can't be as reckless," Dean said. "What happens if you die? Dad, what happens if you die and we could've done something about it." He paused. "You know I been thinking. Maybe Sammy's right about this one. We should do this together." Dean looked over to Sam who nodded in agreement. "We're stronger as a family, Dad. We just are. You know it."

"We're running out of time," John said with a huff "You do your job and you get out of the area. That's an order." He grabbed the vampire from the tree and pulled her over to his truck, shoving her into the passenger seat. Dean and Sam looked between each other before stumping out the fire and heading over to the impala.

John watched as his boys drove away, a hint of regret in his eyes as the impala disappeared into the darkness. He slammed the passenger door and went to the trunk, pulling it open grab his machete ready for the fight.

He jumped back at the sight of messy blonde hair covering half his weapon bag, his shock dissolving into anger. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Thank god, I thought I was gonna die of claustrophobia," Ali muttered sarcastically as she sat up and manoeuvred herself out of the trunk. John had his arms crossed as he stared down at her, the kid before him almost causing his blood to boil.

"This is not a joke, Miss Venator, I can't afford to make mistakes tonight," he said, grabbing her arm and pulling her to the side of the road. "Are you out of your mind?"

"I meant it when I said I'm not letting you screw me over. And I'm also not gonna let you screw up getting that Colt," she said. John gritted his teeth together as he shook his head, his eyes livid. Ali smirked a little, finding the fact that he had left him speechless amusing. "You can't leave me on the side of the road," she teased. "And Sam and Dean are long gone. Guess you're just gonna have to take me with you." John huffed as he spoke through gritted teeth.

"Get in the car. Now." With that, John marched to the truck and slid into the driver's seat slamming the door so hard that it made Ali jolt. Ali smiled to herself. After all the time her brother had spent looking for the Colt, there was no way she was letting it slip through her fingers.

* * *

The truck travelled down the road through the darkness, the vampire next to John in the passenger seat whilst Ali was stuck in the back. Like usual.

Suddenly, two pairs of headlights shone through the window from behind, illuminating the car.

"Get under the seat," John instructed, catching Ali's eye in the rear-view mirror. "Now, Allison." The blonde girl obeyed as she undid her belt and knelt on the floor so she was hidden behind the seat. Unexpectedly, the vehicle jolted to a stop and Ali tried her best not to be seen. "Don't come up unless I say," John said quietly, his eyes trained on the vampires in the road.

"Get out! Who are you?" one of the vampires shouted.

"Name's Winchester," John replied as he climbed out of the truck.

"Where are your friends?" the vampire asked.

"Cleaning out your nest."

"Where's Kate?" he asked. Clearly he was her mate. Ali heard the passenger door swing open but didn't look up to check.

"Come here sweetheart," she heard him say as he pulled her from the truck, holding a knife to her throat. "I want the colt. Elkins gun," John said once he had Kate in position. "Trade."

"Is that what this is all about?" the vampire asked. "I mean, you can't shoot us all right? We'll kill you."

"Oh, I don't need it for you. I'm saving it for something else," John said. "Put the colt down, or she goes first."

"All right," said the vampire. "Just don't hurt her." Ali waited in the silence, carefully bringing her head up so she could see what was happening. It was dark and the window was foggy, but she could still make out the outline of the vampire placing the Colt on the ground. There it was. The only thing capable of killing a demon for good.

"Back up," John said. Ali watched as the vampire took a step back. "Further," he prompted again. The vampire took another step. She watched as the older hunter stepped forward, dragging Kate with him. Once he was close enough, he leaned down to pick up the Colt.

"It's a nice move, you almost made it," the vampire quipped. Ali frowned in confusion before Kate suddenly whipped around, kicking John back so he slammed against the bonnet of the truck. Ali gasped at the sound his body colliding with the metal. She peered down from the back-seat window to see that he had dropped the Colt and it had slid along the tarmac.

The male vampire ran forward, smacking John across the face with the back of his hand, causing him to fall against the front window. It shattered into pieces and John's unconscious body fell to the ground. Ali started to panic. She was a hunter but there was no way she's be able to take out all these vamps by herself. They still didn't know she was there, so at least she had the element of surprise.

She readied herself to jump out of the car when suddenly, an arrow pieced one of the vampires right through the chest. Ali looked up, relief flooding though her when she saw Sam and Dean run out of the forest.

The vampires were distracted, so Ali took the opportunity to jump out of the car. She rolled along the ground, catching Dean's eye who shot her a confused look before he shot another arrow through a vampire. Ali moved to pick up John's knife and as she did, she noticed the male vampire backhand Sam. Her grip tightened on the blade as she turned towards him but he now had his arm around Sam's throat, choking him.

"Don't! I'll break his neck!" the vampire shouted, his eyes focused on Dean who was wielding a machete. "Put the blade down." Dean paused as he glanced over to Ali. She was far to his right, breathing heavily as she watched the scene unfold. The vampire's grip lightened around Sam's neck and he tried to gasp for air.

"Sam!" Ali shouted as she attempted to move forward but Dean yelled at her to stay back. Dean through the machete to the ground and nodded to Ali. She dropped the knife straight away before noticing John start to regain consciousness.

"You people," the vampire said. "Why can't you leave us alone." Ali's gaze was focused on Sam. He was struggling to get free as he slowly suffocated, the vampire squashing his wind pipe. She tried desperately to think of a way to help when she caught sight of the Colt a couple of feet away from her, glinting in the moon light. She debated in her mind whether or not she should try to grab it. She might be able to before the vampire snapped Sam's neck but it was risky. Even if she did have it in her hand, she wasn't sure if she could use it. If she remembered correctly, Samuel Colt only ever made thirteen bullets and some had already been used. "We have as much right to live as you do."

But as Sam started to pale, Ali realised she had to do it. She swiftly made a move towards the Colt and kicked it, causing it to slide across the tarmac into John Winchester's hand.

"I don't think so," John said as he aimed to Colt at the vampire's skull. He turned around just as John fired the weapon, the bullet hitting him right between the eyes. The vampire released Sam who stumbled away from him. Ali grabbed him by the shoulders and pulled him away, checking to make sure he was alright.

There was a sudden flack of light, like lightening illuminating the night. The vampire fell to his knees, his eye wide with fright.

"Luther!" Kate cried as her mate slumped to the ground. She looked up, her eyes furious with grief as she started towards John, but the other vampire grabbed her by the arm and pulled her into the car and they raced away.

* * *

"You ignored a direct order back there," John told Sam and Dean when they were back in the hotel room. Ali was standing by the bed packing her things.

"Yeah but we saved your ass," Dean said boldly.

"You're right," John replied. Dean looked up in surprise.

"I am?" Dean asked.

"It scares the hell out of me. You two are all I've got," John said. Ali couldn't help but listen in to their conversation. His last sentence made her heart ache for some reason. Who did she have left? Bobby? She was starting to think even he wouldn't want her back after everything she had put him through. "But I guess we are stronger as a family. So, let's go after this damn thing. Together."

"Yes sir," Sam and Dean replied. Again, Ali felt like she shouldn't be there, like she was imposing on family matters that didn't concern her.

"And you," John said, catching Ali's attention. He made his way over to where she was standing, a stern look on his face. "I'm surprised at you."

"Really?" she asked with a raised eyebrow. "That wasn't the first time I've hidden in someone's trunk." John rolled his eyes.

"I meant with the Colt," he explained. "You could've taken it and run, no one could have stopped you." Ali stared back at him disbelievingly. Did he really think she would have grabbed it and ran, leaving the three of them to the mercy of the nest of vampires?

"But Sam would've been killed," she replied. John smiled as if that was the reply he had been hoping for. She chewed on her lip for a moment awkwardly. "So, are you gonna let me stick around?"

"I'm not sure what to make of you, Venator," he said honestly, looking at her intently like her was trying to figure her out.

"Look, I know you don't like me," she admitted in response. "And to be honest, I'm not your biggest fan either. But Sam and Dean? They're my friends. And I care about them." She paused, thinking of how to put what she was thinking into words. "If they wanna gank this demon for all that its done, I'm more than happy to watch you send one of those magic bullets right between its eyes."

"So, what are you saying?" John asked quizzically.

"I saying that as long as Sam and Dean want me around, you're stuck with me," she replied. "I'm not going anywhere. And I wanna make a deal." John chuckled.

"To make a deal you've gotta have something I want," he said.

"I'll help you take down your demon," she said, determinedly. "And when that's over, you give me the Colt, so I can take down mine." John narrowed his eyes at the girl as he bit on his lip, a little amused.

"What makes you think I need your help taking down the demon?" he asked.

"I'm not sure yet," she admitted. "But I must be useful for something. Otherwise you would've driven me back to Bobby's already." This made John chuckle harder as he shook his head. _This girl was definitely a Venator._ He didn't want to accept her bargain. She was too young to be involved with this, but he knew she would find a way to worm her way in if he declined. It was safer for all of them if she was around. That way, he could keep an eye on her. Besides, he had promised her parent's all those years ago that he would. He may as well start now.

"Do you have any other terms?" he asked, on partly to humour her.

"No," she said simply. "Do you?" John shook his head.

"Well then, Miss Venator," he said, holding out a hand for her to shake. She took it with a smirk. "You've got yourself a deal."

* * *

 **AN: So that was chapter 8 and we are nearing the end of season 1! Hope you liked this chapter. I gave you a little more insight on Ali's past but there is still much more to come! What are your thoughts on the story so far?**

 **Let me know what you thought, much love x**


	9. Chapter 9 - Devil's Trap

Ali held the gun in her hand, the elegantly sculpted handle fitting into her palm perfectly. She placed her finger on the trigger and held it up, squinting with one eye to get a better aim.

"Careful with that," Dean said boredly. Ali glanced over to the elder Winchester sitting in the driver's seat before placing the Colt back into Sam's lap. They had been driving for over two hours, having left the motel room in Salvation, Iowa, the walls of which had been covered in charts, maps, photographs and everything else John had collected over the years on the yellow eyed demon. He had explained to the three of them how he had picked up its trail a year ago, when it had come out of hiding and since then, he had been doing everything in his power to find it.

Ali sat back in her seat, watching the road ahead out of the windshield. She was exhausted, mentally and physically. It had been non-stop since the vampires about a week ago, and it was safe to say she really needed sleep. Not to mention, the defeat of the day before was ringing in the three's ears.

John was gone. That was the fact of the matter. He had been taken by what they assumed was the demon, Meg, someone they thought to be dead (Sam and Dean had witnessed her fall out of a window after all).

During the few days before John's disappearance, Ali and the Winchester's had attempted to stop the yellow eyed demon by tracking down possible targets, them being families with six-month-old infants. After one of Sam's visions, they had successfully identified a family of three who they believed to be a target. Meanwhile, Meg had managed to brutally murder two of John's friends and then blackmail him into meeting her to hand over the Colt. Since they were not prepared to do that, John had Dean and Ali perchance a fake Colt that John could use as a decoy. Considering John had been abducted by Meg, it seemed she hadn't fallen for it.

To make matters worse, Sam, Dean and Ali had failed to take down the demon at the families' house and although there were no casualties, the devastating blow of the demon slipping though their fingers once again had left the two in a foul mood, and there was nothing Ali could do to pull them out of it. Not to mention, Sam had tried to use the Colt to kill the demon and failed, meaning they were now down to only three bullets, a fact that made Ali very nervous.

Ali could still here Sam's voice from the night before as he yelled at Dean.

 _"_ _Don't you say that, not you!"_ Sam had screamed at him. _"_ _Not after all this don't you say that."_

Ali shuddered at the memory. Sam had slammed Dean against the motel room door as he yelled, causing Ali to have to pull him off of his brother. The two had ended up with tears in their eyes and Ali had to stand outside in the corridor to stop herself from breaking down in front of them.

It was then that they got the call from Meg. Ali recalled Dean's shaking voice when he had told them what she had said.

 _"_ _You're never going to see you father again."_

Ali knew how that felt. She knew what it was liked to be orphaned. Even so, she didn't want that for Sam and Dean. She wouldn't wish her pain and loneliness on anyone.

 _"_ _They've got Dad,"_ Dean had said. _"_ _The demon knows we're in Salvation, alright. It knows we got the Colt. It's got Dad – it's probably coming for us next."_

 _"_ _We've still got three bullets left. Let it come,"_ Sam had replied, causing both Dean and Ali to look at him in shock.

 _"_ _Listen, tough guy, we're not ready, okay_?" Dean had explained. " _We don't know how many of them are out there. Now, we're no good to anybody dead. We're leaving... now!"_

And they had. They three of them had grabbed all they could carry and gotten the hell out of Salvation as fast as they could.

"We need a plan," Dean said suddenly. No one had spoken in a while, each of them too preoccupied with the events of the past few days. "Now, they're probably keeping Dad alive, we just gotta figure out where. They're gonna wanna trade him for the gun." Ali thought that sounded like a good plan, but when she noticed Sam shaking his head, she thought she could have been wrong.

"Dean, if that were true, why didn't Meg mention a trade?" Sam asked as he bit his lip. Ali thought to keep himself from crying. "Dad, he might be-."

"Don't!" Dean yelled, cutting off his brother.

"Look, I don't want to believe it any more than you. But if he is, all the more reason to kill this damn thing," Sam said. Ali thought that sounded like an alright plan too, but she wasn't sure they could pull it off. After Tyler went missing, Ali wanted nothing more than to kill the thing that took him, but she wouldn't've been able too. Not when it had only just happened. "We still have the Colt. We can still finish the job."

"Screw the job, Sam!" Dean yelled again, starting to get irritated. Ali sat up in her seat ready to cut in if things got too heated.

"Dean, I'm just trying to do what he would want," Sam explained. "He would want us to keep going."

"Quit talking about him like he's dead already!"

"Stop it!" Ali yelled, leaning over the front seat so she was in between the two brothers. "Dean's right, we need a plan. But we can't do it if we're at each other's throats." She glanced between them, eyeing their expression to see if her point came across.

"Listen to me, everything stops until we get him back, you understand me?" Dean said. "Everything." There was a pause as Sam considered Dean's words.

"So, how do we find him?"

"Maybe we go to Lincoln," Dean suggested. "Start at the warehouse where he was taken."

"Come on, Dean, you really think these demons are going to leave a trail?" Sam said.

"Sam's right," Ali interjected. "We need help. And I think I know where we can get it."

* * *

The impala pulled up outside an all too familiar yard. The decision to go to Bobby's place hadn't been a hard one for Ali, but that didn't mean it would be easy to see him after all this time. She couldn't lie. She had missed him.

As she got out of the car, she pulled her fingers through her hair and pulled it up into a high ponytail, the long wavy strands still falling past her shoulder blades. She glanced up at the house as she approached it, Sam and Dean a few metres behind her before she stepped on the porch.

Ali took a deep breath as she raised her fist to the door and knocked. There was a moment of complete stillness, then she heard footsteps on the other side of the door. It swung open with a creek, revealing the man on the other side who she hadn't seen in six months.

"Hey Bobby," Ali said nervously as she smiled up at him. He stared at her for a moment, shock and something that seemed like relief flooding though his eyes. Without a word, he stepped over the threshold of the door and wrapped his arms around her shoulders, squeezing her tight in a warm embrace. The movement was abrupt and desperate and Ali swore she could feel him shaking a little. Or maybe that was her. Even so, she smiled into his chest a little at the gesture. He was happy to see her after all.

After a moment had passed, he pulled back, still holding onto her upper arms like if he were to let go, she would take off again.

"Are you alright?" he asked as he looked her up and down like he was checking for injures.

"Yeah, Bobby," she replied with a weak smile. "I'm okay."

"Why didn't you call? Tell me you were coming?" Ali bit her lip.

"Sorry, we uh," she paused. "We need your help." Bobby looked at her for a moment.

"We?" he asked, confused. Ali stepped to the side, revealing Sam and Dean who Bobby clearly hadn't noticed before, having been too engrossed in Ali's surprise return. Bobby eyed the Winchester brothers before releasing a breath.

"You best come in."

* * *

Dean watched as Bobby picked up two silver hipflasks, both similar to the one Ali carried with her, and handed one to him. In the short time they had been at Bobby's place they had filled him in on everything from the Colt to John and the yellow eyed demon.

"What is this – holy water?" Dean asked as he took a sip.

"That one is," Bobby replied before holding out the other one. "This is whiskey." He took a long drink from it before handing it to Dean, passing the holy water to Sam for him to take a sip as well. Dean noted how he didn't offer Ali either of the flasks.

"Thanks, Bobby," Dean said gratefully. "Thanks for everything. To tell you the truth, when Ali suggested it, I wasn't sure we should come."

"Nonsense, your Daddy needs help," Bobby said.

"Well, yeah, but last time we saw you, I mean, you did threaten to blast him full of buckshot. Cocked the shotgun and everything." Ali stifled a giggle. That sounded like Bobby.

"Yeah, well, what can I say?" Bobby joked. "John just has that effect on people." Dean's eyes went distant as he considered his father.

"Yeah, I guess he does," he replied under his breath.

"None of that matters now," Bobby said sincerely. "All that matters is that you get him back." Dean nodded in agreement, grateful for the older hunter's understanding.

Ali smiled at the exchange between the two. She often forgot that the Winchester's were close with Bobby too, at least they used to be. She wondered how in the five years she had lived with him how she had never met either Sam or Dean before.

"Bobby, these, uh, these protective circles," Sam said, drawing her attention to where he was sat at the table, leafing through one of the many books that littered the house. "They really work?"

"Hell, yeah," Bobby replied. "You get a demon in - they're trapped. Powerless. It's like a Satanic roach motel." Sam released a chuckle. Ali recognised the symbol. There were many around the house. She remembered when Bobby had pointed one on the living room ceiling a few years back.

"Man knows his stuff," Dean commented, catching Ali's eye and causing her to smile.

"Yeah, well some of this might come in useful," Bobby commented. "This is some serious crap you boys stepped in."

"Oh, yeah? Sam asked. "How's that?"

"Normal year, I hear of, say, three demonic possessions," Bobby explained. "Maybe four, tops."

"Yeah?"

"This year I hear of 27 so far. You get what I'm saying?" Bobby asked. "More and more demons are walking among us – a lot more."

"Do you know why?" Sam asked.

"No, but I know it's something big," Bobby replied. "The storm's coming, and you boys, your Daddy – you are smack in the middle of it."

Just then, there was a crack outside and Ali's attention turned from the hunters to the window. The others had noticed too, a frown on Bobby's face.

"Bobby, what is it?" she asked, growing concerned at the sight of him becoming worried.

"Something's wrong," he replied. Suddenly, there was a loud crash and the front door was blown off its hinges. Ali felt a hand wrap around her arm as Sam pulled her out of the way as the wood splintered and flew across the room with supernatural force.

A figure stood at the door way and casually walked in, her boots clicking on the floor. It was Meg

"No more crap, okay?" she asked, her demonic eyes sliding between the four of them. Ali watched as Dean suddenly came at her, in his hand the flask of holy water that he was ready to throw at her. Noticing his advances, Meg whipped around, smacking a hand into him and send him flying across the room into a book case, his unconscious form crumpling to the ground.

Ali gritted her teeth as she stepped forward, perhaps to send the demonic bitch a punch of her own, but Sam placed a hand on her shoulder, pulling her behind him as he stepped forward.

"I want the Colt, Sam – the real Colt – right now," Meg demanded. Sam took a step back slowly and Ali did the same, following his movements as he stepped across the room.

"We don't have it on us," Sam replied. "We buried it."

"Didn't I say "no more crap"?" the demon said, her words full of venom. £I" swear – after everything I heard about you Winchesters, I got to tell you, I'm a little underwhelmed. First Johnny tries to pawn off a fake gun, and then he leaves the real gun with you two Chuckleheads." Her head turned to Ali, her eyes calculating. "And their little sidekick." Ali's jaw clenched as they moved further across the room, Meg following. They were now nearing the living room. "Did you really think I wouldn't find you?"

"Actually, we were counting on it," Dean said from behind her. Meg whipped around again, her eyes focussing on Dean who was staring at her. Ali watched as his gaze moved to the ceiling where a large devil's trap was drawn. "Gotcha."

* * *

Ali leant against the door frame as she watched Sam tighten the ropes around Meg's wrists. Dean walked over to her, his hand rubbing the back of his head.

"Why don't you go help Bobby?" he suggested to her. Bobby was salting all the windows and doors to stop any other demons from getting inside the house. Ali couldn't help but feel like Dean was trying to get rid of her.

"I think I'll just wait here," she said. Dean sighed.

"Look, Ali, you really don't need to see this."

"Oh, I think she does." The voice came from inside the room and both Dean and Ali turned to see Meg staring at them, a wicked smile on her lips.

"Shut up, you bitch," Dean commanded harshly, angling his body so he was slightly between the demon and Ali, the gesture protective.

"Ali, huh?" Meg questioned with a laugh. "Couldn't be the famous Allison Venator, could it?" The voice was mocking. "I thought your family died out ages ago."

"I said, shut up!" Dean yelled. "Ali, don't pay her any attention."

"Well isn't that adorable," Meg carried on sarcastically. "What's the matter, Ali, demon got your tongue?" Ali crossed her arms as she stared at the demon. She didn't like to be mocked by anyone, least of all a demon who she thought no higher of than vermin.

"She doesn't need to waste her breath on you," Sam cut in, standing up once he had secured the ropes.

"Shame," the demon said, her eyes glancing to each of the boys before they fixed back on Ali. "Your brother was a hell of a talker."

"What did you just say?" Ali asked, addressing the demon for the first time. She pushed away from the wall at her words, her brow furrowed.

"Don't worry, sweetheart," she smiled evil. "I wasn't the one who killed him, we just had a little fun." Ali swore she felt bile rising in her throat but she pushed it down. "Of course, I wore a different face back then. Tyler always preferred brunettes."

At that, Ali's anger boiled over and she lunged for the demon in the chair, determined to inflict some kind of pain on her. She hated demons. She wanted them all dead. But as she ran at her, Sam turned around and stepped in front of her, his large hands pressing against her shoulders to calm her down.

"Ali, don't listen to her," he said, trying to make the girl feel better. "Listen to me, okay?" he said, moving so he could took her directly in the eye, and most importantly, blocking her view of Meg. "This is what she wants, she's trying to get a reaction outta you." Ali took a few deep breaths, trying to calm herself down. "She's lying, okay? She probably never even met Tyler."

"Oh, I saw plenty of him," Meg teased, causing Dean to slap her across the face to shut her up.

"Me and Dean need to find out what happened to our dad," Sam said, his hands still on her shoulders, his voice soft. "You think you could go help Bobby for a while?" Ali looked up at Sam, then to Dean who was staring intently at her, his eyes creased with concern. She knew they needed to question Meg about John, and they couldn't do that with her around. They needed to focus. She looked back to Sam.

"Yeah," she replied, but it didn't really come out as a sound, so she nodded as well. Sam smiled back gratefully and she pulled out of his grip, not looking back as she walked out of sight.

* * *

Ali ascended the stairs two at a time, wanting to put as much distance between herself and the demon. As she arrived at the top, she walked down the corridor, automatically pushing through the last door on the left.

He room was just as she had left it, forgetting the layers of dust that had accumulated over the last six months. A part of her wanted to rush straight to her bed and curl up for days, but she knew she couldn't. She had a job to do. She went straight to the window, lining the sill with the bag of salt Bobby had given her.

In the back of her mind, she wondered if the boys were getting on well with the demon in the living room. But as she heard the screaming coming from downstairs, she realised that 'well' probably wasn't the best words to describe exorcising a demon from a poor woman's body.

Once she had finished in her room, she moved on to the other upstairs rooms, lining each of the windows with salt to protect the house.

She was anxious for it all to be over. She wanted Sam and Dean to gank the yellow eyed demon almost as much as she wanted the demon that killed her brother dead. She also wanted them to find John alive. She knew what it was like to lose a father, to be orphaned, and although Ali had been much younger when it had happened to her, that didn't mean it didn't hurt any less. If anything, she had felt the absence of a parental figure more. Of course, that was until Bobby.

"Allison!" Speaking of the man himself, Ali heard Bobby yell her name up the stairs. Her full name. He only ever used it when things got serious. "Bring down some blankets!" Ali rushed to the cupboard in the hallway, yanking out a pile of three and rushing downstairs with them. She heard voices in the living room and ran towards them, unsure what she would find.

When she made it to the doorway, she stopped dead in her tracks. Sam and Dean were crouching down on the floor over a body. Ali's brow furrowed as she glanced to the chair Meg was sat in. It was empty. She glanced back to the figure on the floor, the sound of laboured breathing filling her ears.

"What happened?" she asked quietly.

"You got a blanket?" Dean asked without looking back. Ali ran forward, handing one to his outstretched arm and watched as he rolled it up and placed it behind the woman's head. Ali bit her lip at the sight of her. Her head looked beaten and bruised, her mouth dribbling blood down her chin.

"Oh my god," Ali whispered.

"It's been a year," the girl said, her voice cracked.

"Shh," Sam soothed. "Just take it easy."

"Was it telling us the truth about our Dad?" Dean asked. Ali wasn't sure what Dean was talking about but she didn't ask, instead allowing the dying girl to reply.

"Yes. But it wants...," she trailed off as she took a difficult breath. "You to know... that... they want you to come for him."

"If Dad's still alive, none of that matters," Dean replied. Bobby emerged at the door, a glass of water in his hand. Ali watched him hand it to Dean and he held her head up so she could take a sip.

"Where is the demon we're looking for?" Sam asked.

"Not there," she choked out. "Other ones. Awful ones."

"Where are they keeping our Dad?" Dean asked desperately as the woman struggled to keep her eyes open.

"By the river," she replied, gasping for a final breath. "Sunrise."

"Sunrise?" Dean asked quickly. "What does that mean?" She didn't reply, her eyelids fluttering shut. "What does that mean?" But she was gone.

* * *

Dean watched Ali as she packed her things into her backpack and shoved it into the back seat of the impala. Something had been nagging him all day and he needed to question her on it. If he didn't, it would likely irritate him for the rest of the day.

"Hey, Ali?" Dean asked as he and Sam packed their things into the trunk. "How come Bobby didn't make you drink the holy water?" He was referring to when they arrived at the house earlier on.

"He knows better," Ali replied nonchalantly. Her answer didn't satisfy Dean's question.

"How?" Dean asked. Ali rolled her eyes, turning to face the two brothers whose attention was now fully on her. She sighed as she turned to her right, pulling up her jumper to reveal what looked like a pentagram on her left hip. Dean raised an eyebrow at her.

"Anti-possession tattoo," she explained, giving Sam and Dean long enough to take a look before she pulled her top back down. "Keeps the demons outta my meat suit."

"How long have you had that?" Sam asked, curious as to how she had been with them for six months but they had never noticed it.

"I dunno," Ali replied offhandedly. "Seven years maybe? You two should think about getting one." With that, she jogged back up to the house to fetch some water for the trip, leaving the both the Winchester's speechless.

She entered the kitchen and grabbed a pack of three large water bottles, taking them in her arms and exiting the kitchen.

"What are you doing with those?" Ali turned to see Bobby leaning against the stair rail, his eyes on the water.

"Demon hunting makes me thirsty," she quipped with a smirk, turning back around to walk out the front door.

"You're not going with them," Bobby said, causing Ali to turn back around.

"What?" she asked, placing the bottles on the table next to her. She could hear Sam and Dean coming up the drive behind her.

"This is there fight Al, not yours," he said, his eyes pleading. He was desperate for her to stay.

"I'm sorry, Bobby," she said sincerely, looking at him straight in the eye. "I gotta be a part of this."

"No, god dammit!" he yelled suddenly, becoming angry. On hearing the shout, Sam and Dean quickened their pace up to the house, but Ali was too focused on Bobby to notice. "I haven't seen ya in six months, Al. I've been worried sick most of the time." Ali felt guilt turn in her stomach. She crossed her arms over her chest to try and suppress it. "Hell, when you left, I didn't know if you were dead or alive!" His words were like a bullet in her chest and all she wanted to do was apologise. She hadn't realised how much she had hurt him when she had left.

"You're not runnin off again, Al," he said, no, pleaded, quietly. "Not when I just got you back." She stared at him, the man who was the closest thing she had to a father, and nodded.

"Okay," she whispered, approaching him and wrapping her arms around him. He seemed taken aback by her movements, thinking she would have yelled or said she was going anyway. But she didn't, she just hugged him, and he hugged her back, his hand stroking her blonde hair as they both cried.

* * *

"Hey Bobby," Dean said, catching the hunter's attention. He glanced quickly over to where Ali was teaching Sam to draw a devil's trap before he spoke, not wanting the girl to overhear them. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" Bobby asked with a frown.

"For dragging Ali into this," he said. "You said it yourself, me and Sam are in deep with this crap. And I'm sorry we got her involved with it." Dean was surprised when he noticed Bobby's frown drop and a small smile tug at his lips.

"The thing y'all gotta understand about our Al is that she doesn't get dragged into anything," he explained. "She jumps in herself. No one can make her do anything." Dean snorted.

"You can say that again," he replied.

"But she's loyal," Bobby continued. "And tough as hell." He paused as he took a breath, glancing over to her as well. "She cares about you and Sam a lot, Dean. The way she tried to go after Meg when she hit you against that bookcase… it scares the hell outta me."

"Bobby…"

"I can't let her get hurt, Dean," he explained. "I can't."

"I know," he replied.

"And I can't have you or Sam hurt either," he continued. "So y'all best come back in one piece, you hear me?"

"Yes sir," Dean replied with a nod and salute. Sam and Ali made their way over to Bobby and Dean, Sam grabbing his bag on the way.

"You better hurry up and beat it," Bobby told them. "Before the paramedics get here."

"What are you gonna tell them?" Dean asked.

"You think you guys invented lying to the cops?" Bobby asked sarcastically. Ali smiled. "I'll figure something out."

"Here take this," Ali said, passing Sam the book with the devil's trap in it. "You might need it."

"Thanks," Sam replied. Nodding to Bobby before hugging Ali goodbye.

"Thanks, for everything," Dean said too. "Be careful, alright?"

"You just go find your Dad," Bobby said. "And when you do, you bring him around, would you? I won't even try to shoot him this time." Dean nodded with a small smile of gratitude as he and Sam left the house. Ali watched them leave, the door swinging shut. She bit her lip, trying not to let herself worry too much. But worry was inevitable.

She raced towards the door and flung it open, running down the driveway as she called Dean's name. He turned halfway to the car, Sam already sliding into the passenger seat.

When she reached him, she threw her arms around his neck and pulled him down to her as she squeezed her eyes shut. He seemed startled by her actions as much as she was at herself.

"Don't die, okay?" she mumbled into his ear as they hugged. "Even if you have to use every one of those bullets on the demon, just don't die."

"I won't," he replied. Ali pulled back, his answer not sounding sincere enough for her liking.

"Promise?" she asked, her eyebrow raised. Dean laughed a little at the way she demanded it, his hand squeezing her shoulder.

"I promise, kiddo."

* * *

Hours and hours of nail biting a worrying had crawled by and neither Bobby nor Ali had heard a peep from the Winchesters. The blonde girl had spent most of her time in her room, unpacking her things and, although she didn't like to admit it, hiding from Bobby. There was a tension between them in the air, one she didn't like, and she wanted desperately for it to be lifted. Then again, it did give her a distraction from worrying about Sam and Dean.

She wondered downstairs, needing a change of scenery, and found Bobby in the kitchen, his hands clutching a large bag of salt as he left a trail of it by the window.

"You want me to take over?" she asked. Bobby turned with just his head, staring at her for a moment before handing her the bag of salt. He could tell she was upset, but he knew her well enough to not ask. Whatever it was, bringing it up again wasn't going to do her any good.

"You hungry?" he asked her, pulling open the fridge to check what he had in the way of food. "I got leftovers or leftovers." Ali couldn't help but smile.

"Sounds great," she replied, finishing up with the salt and sitting down at the kitchen table. She watched as Bobby pulled out a plate of what looked like meatloaf and cut the remaining chunk into two, placing both in the microwave. After a couple of minutes mad passed, he took both out, placing them both on the table as he sat down. He slid a fork over the table. "Thanks."

The ate in silence, though it was clear neither of them was in the mood for food. She picked at the meal and although it didn't look particularly appetising, it beat the diner food she had been eating for the past six months by a clear mile.

"Are you mad?" she asked out of the blue. Bobby dropped his fork on the plate with a clang as he looked up.

"Why would you think that?" he asked.

"Because I left!" she said, finally exploding as she stood up. "For six months." I ran off in the middle of the night… I barely called… I'm the world's shittiest daughter!" Ali realised what she had said too late and looked down at Bobby who was staring at her. At her final words, his expression changed from amused to a smile.

"Sit down and eat your meatloaf," he said, his smile still in place. She sat down immediately. "I'm glad you came back, Al," Bobby said quietly. Ali sent him a small smile of her own.

"Yeah, me too." They finished their meal in a comfortable silence and afterwards, Bobby washed the dishes as Ali dried them and put them away. Just like always. And for a moment, both of their minds were far away from demons, worries and Winchesters.

Until a phone call.

Bobby left the kitchen to answer it whilst Ali tidied away the last of the crockery. When he returned, his face was pale, his hand gripping the phone in a fist.

"Who was it?" Ali asked tentatively, unsure whether she wanted the answer.

"It was Sam," Bobby replied. Ali thought that would mean good news, but the look on Bobby's face told her otherwise. "There's been an accident."

* * *

 **AN: So we've reached the end of season 1! Next one's gonna be super sad so get the tissues ready :'(**

 **Hope you are enjoying the story so far :)**

 **Let me know what you thought, much love x**


	10. Chapter 10 - In My Time Of Dying

Ali hated hospitals. The strip lighting. The ever-present feeling of death that clung to the walls. There was something about them that seemed too rigid, like a cage or prison. And she could never be sure if something terrible was about to happen.

She reached the desk and leant over it on her elbows. She had been driving through the night and was exhausted, physically and mentally. A nurse appeared after a moment and Ali shot her a tight-lipped smile.

"Hi, um I got a call saying my friends were brought in last night," she said, her fingers drumming anxiously on the wood. "There was a car accident." Ali glanced over her shoulder, as if expecting to see Sam, Dean and their father walking down the corridor with nothing but a few bumps and scrapes, completely fine. She didn't.

"Name?" the nurse asked, catching Ali's attention. She turned back to the nurse who was eyeing her sceptically. Ali knew she looked a mess, not to mention she was shaking with nerves. She squeezed her fingers into a fist on the desk to stop the drumming.

"Winchester," she replied as clearly as possible, trying to keep her voice from shaking. She just wanted to find out where they were so she could see them. _What was taking so long?_

"Are you a relative?" the nurse asked with a raised eyebrow.

"No, not exactly, but I-."

"Visiting hours are between four and six for non-family members." Ali stared at her. Seriously? Was this nurse seriously going to make her wait until four before she could see them?

"No, you don't understand, I -."

"I'm sorry, but you'll have to come back later." Cut off again. She didn't sound a bit sorry.

"Are you fricking kidding me?" Ali asked as she stared the nurse down. She had been trying to keep her cool but this had sent her over the edge. She could already feel tears threatening to spill over her eyelids. "I've been up all night, I'm tired, I've been driving for hours and the people who are pretty much all I have left in this world are hurt and somewhere in this hospital. And you are gonna fucking tell me where!" When she had finished, she was sure she looked like a crazy person and wouldn't be surprised if security came and escorted her outside (or to the psychiatric ward). Her heart was pounding and her chest heaved. The nurse stared back at her in shocked silence.

"Ali?" She swore her heart stopped for a second at the sound of someone saying her name. She would know that voice anywhere. She turned around, her tense stance relaxing slightly at the sight of the younger Winchester approaching her.

"Sam," she whispered as she pulled him into a tight hug. If it were possible, he looked even worse than she did. "Thank god." She could feel his tall body trembling and she wasn't sure if it was because he was crying or just nervous. She held him, rubbing a hand on his back in a way she hoped was soothing. She felt his arms wrap around her torso and squeeze and although the height difference made it a little awkward, she didn't release him, instead, waiting until he was ready to pull away.

"Are you okay?" she asked, her eyes searching his for answers. "How's Dean? And John?"

"Yeah, I'm okay," he said with a small sniff. "And Dad's doing really well." Ali nodded and forced a small smile, though Sam seemed to be avoiding the subject of his brother, which made her nervous.

"And Dean?" she asked hopefully, her brows lifting.

"Dean…" he trailed off. His face said it all. Ali instantly deflated. "He, uh," he stuttered, trying to find the words as he held back tears. "Dean's -."

"No, he's not," Ali said, shaking her head as she brought a hand to her mouth. She refused to believe that Dean was gone. Not after he promised.

"No, he's alive," Sam clarified, causing Ali to sigh with relief, though Sam still didn't look optimistic. "But he's got a pretty serious head injury, and he still hasn't woken up." Ali squeezed her eyes shut, trying to keep herself together.

"Can I…?" she trailed off as she opened her eyes. Sam nodded.

"I'll take you to his room."

* * *

She stood stationary at the door of the hospital room, watching the mechanical movement of Dean's chest rising and falling. Sam had already gone in, taking a seat on the far side of the bed beside his brother. Ali waited at the door. She couldn't enter. If she did, she would have to face the fact that Dean was unconscious. That he was hurt. That he was dying.

She couldn't do that.

Ali wasn't usually squeamish. She had seen more blood than most people, but there was something about seeing Dean with nothing but a tube shoved down his throat keeping him alive that made her feel sick. Perhaps it was because for the past six months, he had been the one she had relied on the most. He had been the one to buy her food, tell her what to do, teach her how to play darts.

He had been the one she had fought with over and over again about hunts, laundry, poker, whisky. He had been her rock. And now he was lying in a hospital bed with only a piece of plastic keeping him alive.

He had been the one to fill the void she had felt after Tyler had died. Sure, Sam had too, but Dean and Tyler were so much alike. Their mannerisms, the way they bossed her around. It wasn't that she had used Dean to replace her brother, it was that he had filled a gaping hole in her life. Both the Winchesters had.

And now the wound that had taken over five years to start to heal was breaking open again. She could see it happening to Sam as well. His big brother. The person he relied on so much too. That was why she needed to remain strong. Not just for her own sake, but for Sam's too. She took a deep breath and stepped into the room, taking a seat opposite Sam on the other side of the bed.

Sam sat back in his seat, his head in his hands, whilst Ali sat forward, her elbows resting on the side of the bed as she watched Dean. At first, she had found the constant beeping of the monitors incredibly annoying, but they meant that Dean had a heart beat and she grew to love the sound more than anything. She hadn't been sure whether or not to take his hand, so instead, she gently squeezed his shoulder once like he had done to her the last time they spoke.

Apart from all the tubes and equipment, Ali thought it was the most peaceful she had ever see him. She had never watched him sleep before, but in a strange way, she found herself envious of him. He was asleep, dead to the world, with no cares at all. Little did she know that all the while, Dean was watching everything.

* * *

John Winchester was many things, but a good father wasn't one of them. He had known it since he taught his ten-year-old how to use a shot gun, since he had driven the other son away and even now, when Dean was dying in a hospital bed. He knew that his obsession with finding the Demon that had killed his wife was the root of the problem, but even so, he couldn't bring himself to let it go. The demon needed to die, even if it killed him.

He shifted in the hospital bed, a small groan of pain escaping his lips as his injuries ached. At the sound of someone clearing their throat, he cast his eyes up, meeting the blonde girl who had emerged at the door. She hovered nervously just outside the room, her gaze lowered as she eyed the cast on his arm. John could see that she was upset and guessed it was likely she had just come from Dean's room. He knew how close she had grown to his boys over the past few months and considering her lack of living relatives, it would be likely she was fearing the worst when it came to Dean's health.

John caught her gaze and although she didn't send him a smile, he sent a weak one back. "You can come in," he prompted as her eyes shifted to the door frame, as if there were an invisible barrier she couldn't step through without an invitation. He felt like he was calling her in to his office for an important meeting. Perhaps he was.

"Sam just left," she said, her voice quiet and a little timid.

"I know," he replied. "I asked him to pick up a few things for me." Ali nodded as she approached the bed, stopping a good few metres from him. She didn't take the empty seat that was waiting for her.

"I'd ask you how you are, but that would be a stupid question," she commented. John released an amused breath.

"You sound like Bobby."

"I learned from the best," Ali replied slickly, forgetting the seriousness of the situation they were in. She quickly sobered. "Sam called him earlier. He's towing the impala back to his place." John nodded back in acknowledgement.

An uncomfortable silence fell on the room. Ali wasn't sure what to say, and John wasn't sure either.

"Sam said you wanted to see me," she prompted finally. John released a breath.

"Yeah," he said, scratching the back of his head with his good hand. "Look, Allison, about the Colt…"

"I know you only have one bullet left," she said, guessing his next statement. John sighed.

"I know I said I'd hand over the Colt after we got this demon…"

"It's okay," she said, cutting him off again. "I want you to use it on yellow eyes."

"You do?" John didn't think she would back down that easily. "Why?"

"Because that evil son-of-a-bitch murdered your wife and put the three of you in hospital," Ali said boldly. "And it has to die."

"But what about the demon who killed Tyler?" John asked. Ali's jaw clenched at the mention of her brother. The truth was that it killed her that there was only one bullet left. She wanted both the demon's dead, but she knew she had no chance if she had to fight John Winchester for the last bullet. In the end, she realised it was better to bow out gracefully for all their sakes.

"I'll find something else," she said, trying to sound optimistic. "That gun can't be the only thing that can kill a demon, right?"

"Right," John replied. Sensing the conversation had ended, Ali backed away towards the door.

"I, uh, I better go check on Dean," she said. John nodded in understanding and she turned around to leave. But as she reached the doorway, she abruptly turned back around, her eyes connecting with John's intently. "I don't blame you, you know," she said from the doorway. "I never did."

John noticed the sudden subject change and shifted uncomfortably again under the sheets. "Allison," he sighed. "Let's not get into this-."

"You may not need to hear it," she continued as she tried to keep her voice from shaking. "But I need to know that I've said it." John knew what she was about to say, and although he wished that the girl in front of him wouldn't bring up their old grievance, he let her continue. It was what was best for her.

"Tyler was angry," Ali went on as her expression turned anguished. "What happened made him angry, and for that, I hated you. I hated that my big brother was mad all the time, and I hated that I couldn't do anything to help." She stopped as she remembered her brother's rage, his shouting, and her own tears. Ali took a deep breath as she considered what she wanted to say. "I hated what you did – what you had to do. But you need to know that I never blamed you for it. I don't blame you for it." She held his gaze as she spoke, her position still half way out the door.

"Why?" John asked, genuinely curious.

"Because you didn't have a choice," she breathed out finally as she suppressed the urge to cry. "If I had been in your shoes, I don't think I wouldn't had the courage to do it." John stared at the girl for a moment, the conversation that had unfolded shocking him.

"Do Sam and Dean know?" he asked carefully. Ali shook her head.

"I never told them," she replied. "It's not their burden to carry."

"Of course," he replied with a nod. "I never got a chance to apologise to him before he died." Ali's brow furrowed as she blinked back tears. She could not cry in front of John Winchester. She wouldn't allow herself to.

"You have nothing to be sorry for," she replied. With that, she bid her farewells and turned on her heel, striding out of the room and down the corridor. She took herself to the restrooms, slamming the cubical door shut once she was in it. She had never been one for confrontation or bringing problems to the surface. She had been holding in all her grievances and anger towards John Winchester for so many years, and after Tyler was gone, she had taken on his anger as well. Enough for both of them. But as the tears started to roll down her cheeks, she questioned why it had taken a near fatal accident for her to realise she should move on.

* * *

Ali strode down the hospital corridor towards Dean's room having just hung up on a call from Bobby. He had informed her that Sam had been very upset and angry when he had left the junk yard and mentioned something about John wanting to summon the demon to the hospital. Ali wasn't exactly sure what was going on, but she did know that she needed to find Sam as quickly as possible. If all she could do was calm him down and offer some support, she would do it.

As she neared Dean's room, however, her heart rate picked up. Doctors and nurses flooded into his room, the air filled with a high pitched continuous tone. She raced to the door.

"Oh god," she breathed in horror at the sight of a doctor doing chest compressions on Dean's body. She couldn't move. She couldn't breathe. All she could do was watch. She knew she needed to find Sam as quickly as possible now, but she couldn't bring her muscles to propel herself in his direction.

 _He must be in John's room_ she thought to herself, tearing her teary gaze away from Dean to glance up the corridor. Sam emerged from the room, his eyes disorientated from the commotion in the corridor. Ali caught his confused gaze and they locked eyes. Sam knew in that moment that something terrible had happened.

He rushed down the corridor towards her as she turned her eyes back to Dean. _All clear. Shocking. Boom._ Dean's chest heaved upwards from the defibrillator.

"No," she heard Sam say once he had joined her, his desperate stance mimicking hers. She hadn't realised she had been gripping and leaning on the doorframe so dependently until she noticed Sam do the same thing. He was crying. Not the eyes-glazed-over-but-I-refuse-to-let-a-tear-fall way she had seen so many hunter's use in the past. He was actually crying, his cheeks glistening from where the tears had spilled over and stained his skin. Ali had never seen Sam cry like this before. She didn't know how to comfort him. She felt exactly how Sam looked. But when it came to crying, she was more of the eyes-glazed-over-but-I-refuse-to-let-a-tear-fall type.

They both watched Dean being resuscitated in silence. Ali didn't know what to say and Sam couldn't have spoken even if he wanted to.

"All clear," someone in the room said again before shocking Dean again.

"Still no pulse." Ali felt sick.

"Okay, let's go again, 360."

"Charging." Another shock. The monitors continued to beep rapidly. Ali didn't know what all the sounds meant, but she knew it was nothing good.

Then suddenly, out of nowhere, she felt something rush past her out of the room, like a gale whipping past for only a second. She leant away from the door and watched it go down the corridor, though she couldn't see anything. At first, she wondered if she had imagined it, but she saw an equally bewildered look on Sam's face. He had felt it too.

"We have a pulse," a nurse said from inside the room. Ali looked back into where Dean was lying, only just noticing that the monitors had slowed their beeping. "We're back into sinus rhythm."

* * *

Ali downed her coffee in one before tossing the polystyrene cup into the trash. The drunk was hot and it burnt her tongue, but she needed the caffeine. She walked back down the corridor to Dean's room, the route seeming too familiar now that she had been doing it all day. Sam was just outside the door pulling a jacket over his shoulders.

"Where're you going?" she asked, thrusting the other coffee she had picked up for him into his hand. He mumbled a quick thank you before downing the contents in one just like she had done. He winced at the temperature.

"I gotta go pick something up," he told her before glancing into the room, his eyes meeting his unconscious brother's form. He looked back to her. "Can you stay with him?" he asked, his eyes almost pleading but trying not to seem desperate. "Until I get back?" Ali smiled a little. He didn't need to ask.

"Yeah, of course," she replied, taking his coffee cup from his hand.

"Thanks," he replied sincerely before racing down the corridor. Ali turned around and took a breath before she entered the room, taking a seat next to the hospital bed.

"Hey Dean," she whispered, bending down to place the cup on the floor under her chair. Noticing his hair had fallen down a little onto his forehead, she leant over and gently brushed it out of his closed eyes. "Sammy's just heading out for uh…" she trailed off. "I dunno what for, but probably something to make you better. Anyways, he'll be back real soon, but for now, I guess you're stuck with me." She laughed a little at herself as she rested her elbows on the plastic sides of the bed.

She sat still in silence for a long while as she waited for Sam. At first, she had contemplated going to check on John but she could bring herself to leave Dean. She'd told Sam she would stay with his brother until her returned and even if she hadn't, she wouldn't be able to leave him all alone. Whatever had happened to Tyler, he had been all alone. She'd been locked in the bathroom when the demon took him from the motel room and she had never forgiven herself for hiding away when her brother needed help. She wasn't going to leave Dean like she had left Tyler. She couldn't.

Finding herself getting too lost in her thoughts, she realised she needed to do something to keep her mind occupied. She stood up and grasped Dean's covers, straightening them out so they weren't as creased.

"There you go," she said, realising how stupid she was being. Straightening out his covers wasn't going to help Dean. She sat back down, her gaze dropping to the IV in his right arm. She wondered if it hurt. Could he even feel it? What was going on in his head at that very moment. She let her hand crawl across the sheets to his, running her thumb along the back of his hand. If he could feel anything at all she hoped the gesture was comforting.

"God, if you could see me right now," she said to him, interlacing her fingers in his. "You would so kill me for doing this." She snorted. "No chick flick moments, right?" She absentmindedly ran her finger tips over his knuckles. They were what she liked to call hunter's knuckles. Same as her father's. Same as Bobby's. Same as Tyler's.

"I dunno if you can hear me," she started. "Or maybe I'm just talking to myself like an idiot. Either way, when you wake up you're not gonna remember this, but I'm gonna say it anyway."

"To be honest, it's probably better that your unconscious. Means you can't talk back." She rolled her eyes at herself, imagining his half of the conversation had he been able to respond. _Just cut to the chase already, Ali._

"Here goes nothing," Ali said, taking a deep breath before saying what she needed. "Dean, I-," she paused. "I just wanna say thank you. Thanks for looking out for me. For teaching me. For yelling at me when I'm being a crazy idiot." She smiled as she spoke, but at the same time, tried to hold back the tears.

"It wasn't easy after Tyler died and to be honest, I'd kinda written off the whole idea of family." It was the truth. Apart from Bobby, she had never thought she would have anything even close to a family. "And then I met you and Sam… Sometimes I wonder how things might've turned out if I'd never come into your lives. Maybe you wouldn't be here right now."

"I know we don't always get along," she said, he fingers fiddling with the sheets. "I mean, I know I'm a pain in the ass most of the time, but I guess that's what family's like, right?"

"You've given me so much, you and Sam. But I just have one more thing I really need you to do for me, okay Dean." She wrapped her fingers around his hand, holding it tightly like if she let go, he would slip away. "Just don't die, okay. You promised you wouldn't. Just wake up, be okay again. Sam and your dad... they can't lose you. They need you more than anything and I…" she choked and squeezed her eyes shut, a tear sliding down her cheek. "I can't lose you either. Meeting you and Sam is the best thing that has ever happened to me, and I wanna keep hunting with you until we get this yellow eyed son-of-a-bitch." She sniffed, releasing Dean's hand so she could wipe the tears from her face. She needed to keep it together if she was going to get through the day. "So just, don't die. Please. If not for me, do it for Sammy." She was practically begging. "Because I know what it's like to lose a brother, and I don't want Sam to go through that."

* * *

"What was it like?" Sam's voice came out of nowhere and Ali jolted awake, having not realised she had dozed off. She sat up as she blinked, her eyes adjusting to the light. She had fallen asleep with her head resting on the plastic sides of the bed, Dean's hand grasped tightly in hers. She let it rest on the sheets.

"What?" she asked, looking up to see that Sam was leaning against the wall opposite her. She hadn't remembered him coming in either.

"Losing your brother?" Ali sighed as she stood up, her sad eyes fixed on Sam.

"Sam, you're not gonna lose him," she said causing the younger Winchester to turn away. "Hey," she said sharply, grabbing his arm and pulling him around to look at her. "You're not gonna lose him." She hoped repeating the words made them more believable, but from the hopeless look Sam was giving her, she was wrong. "We'll find a way to save him."

As she finished speaking, there was a loud crash, startling both of them. They turned to see that a painting that was hung on the wall had fallen, the glass smashing as it hit the floor.

"What the hell?" Ali said, walking over to inspect the damage. "What was that?"

"I know this is gonna sound crazy," Sam started causing Ali to look back at him. She raised an eyebrow at him expectantly. "But I think it's Dean."

"Sam, what-?"

"Just hear me out, okay?" he asked, cutting her off. Ali noticed that he was holding a large brown bag. "A similar thing happened earlier in my dad's room. And when Dean's heart stopped I felt something right before they brought him back." Sam was expecting her to roll her eyes or say he was looking for things that weren't there. But she didn't.

"I think I felt it too," she said. Something like hope lit up Sam's eyes. "But even if he is around, how are we gonna save him?"

"I'm not sure yet," Sam said. "But there's one way we can talk." Ali folded her arms and arched an eyebrow as Sam pulled a box labelled _Mystical Talking Board_ from his bad.

"A Ouija board? Seriously?" she asked incredulously. "I'm not into all that voodoo hoodoo psychic crap. That's your speciality."

"Look, I know how you feel about this kinda stuff but this is going to work," Sam prompted. For the 6 months Sam had known the blonde girl she had made it clear how she felt. Whether it was because she was sceptical about it or just scared, Sam wasn't sure. What he did know was that he needed her help if they were going to make contact with Dean.

"Okay," she agreed with a sigh. Sam set out the board on the floor and they sat opposite each other, both placing their fingers on the pointer.

"Dean, are you here?" Sam asked. A moment passed and Ali almost thought nothing was going to happen, when suddenly, she felt the pointer move under her fingers and slid over to _YES_.

"It's good to hear from you, man," Sam said with a smile. Ali looked around, as if to spot Dean sitting next to them.

"Yeah, we miss you, Dean," Ali said. Suddenly, the pointed started to move again and Ali read out the letters as the pointer stopped over them. "H, U…"

"Hunt? Hunting? What, are you hunting?" Sam asked. The pointer slid back over to _YES_. Ali's eyes widened.

"What is it?" she asked, waiting impatiently as Dean began to spell out the name of the monster. _REAPER_.

"A reaper," Sam clarified. Ali's stomach sunk to the ground. "Is it after you?" The pointed went back to _YES_.

"If it's here naturally," Ali said, unsure whether she wanted to finish her sentence. "There's no way to stop it." Sam looked up meeting her eyes. She imagined what Dean was saying, wherever he was. _I'm screwed._

"No," Sam said as if reading her thoughts. "No, no, no, um, there's gotta be a way." He stood up suddenly and Ali looked up to watch him pace around the room.

"Sam…"

"There's gotta be a way," he said. "Dad will know what to do." Ali watched him hurry out of the room before she could stop him. She tidied away the board and set in on the table by the window, running a hand through her hair. It was happening again. Just like when Tyler had died. Her world was beginning to fall out from under her feet, the ground crumbling with no way to stop it.

* * *

"Here," Ali said, holding out a chocolate bar to Sam that she had picked up from a vending machine.

"I'm okay," he said as he flicked through his father's journal. John hadn't been in his room when Sam had tried to find him a few hours ago, and now he was trying to find as much information about reapers as he could.

"Sam, you haven't eaten anything all day," Ali said softly, gently pulling the journal from his hands and replacing it with the candy bar. Sam looked up like he wanted to protest but Ali shot him a pointed look.

"Thanks," he replied, tearing it open instantly and taking a bit. Ali took a seat at the end of Dean's bed and flicked through the journal.

"Did you find anything?" Ali asked as she came across the page about reapers.

"There was a bit about how they can alter human perception," he said, his voice muffled by the candy bar he was chewing, "but nothing that would help Dean. I don't know how to save him." Ali could see Sam was beating himself up about it and she didn't know how to help. The truth was that she didn't think anything would be able to help Dean. They needed a miracle.

"We'll keep looking," she said anyway. Sam nodded gratefully. Suddenly, there was a gasp, causing both Sam and Ali to jump in shock. Dean's eyes flew open as he started to cough, the intubating tube choking him.

Ali leapt off the bed and rushed to his side as Sam ran to the door. Her heart was racing so fast she could feel it in her ears. She held Dean's shoulders, trying to sooth him as she grasped at the tubes in his mouth.

"Help! We need help!" she heard Sam yell before running back into the room. A nurse ran in followed by a few other medical professionals and Ali stepped away from the bed as they pulled out the tube so Dean could breathe by himself. She looked over to Sam who had an equally shocked, confused and relieved expression on his face. She had thought they needed a miracle, and now they had one. The only problem was that Ali wasn't sure she believed they existed.

* * *

"I can't explain it," the doctor said as he stared at the chart in confusion. "The internal contusions are healed. Your vitals are good. You have some kind of angel watching over you." Ali supressed chuckle, instead playing it off as a tickle in her throat.

"Thanks, doc," Dean said with a nod of gratification before the doctor left the room. "So you said a Reaper was after me?" he asked, turning to Sam.

"Yeah," Sam replied.

"How'd I ditch it?" Dean asked.

"You got me," Sam said.

"Dean, you really don't remember anything?" Ali asked. She had been leaning against the table and had now stepped forward closer to the bed.

"Nope, nothing," he replied. "You alright, kiddo?" he asked, sensing that Ali was feeling a little uncomfortable.

"Yeah," she replied with a small smile. "I just – I can't believe you're okay."

"I promised, didn't I?" he said with a smirk. Ali rolled her eyes playfully as she wiped a tear from her eye. "Are you crying?" he asked incredulously. Ali shot him a glare.

"Shut up, I thought you were as good as dead," she shot back as Dean chuckled.

"Dean Winchester doesn't just roll over and die," he said proudly. She rolled her eyes again.

"But you're okay, right Dean?" Sam asked nervously, the conversation turning serious again.

"Yeah," Dean replied. "Except this pit in my stomach. Sam, something's wrong." Before Dean could explain any further there was a knock at the door. Ali looked over, spotting John hovering in the doorway. She hadn't seen him since their last conversation the day before.

"How you feeling?" he asked his son as he made his way into the room.

"Fine, I guess," Dean replied. "I'm alive."

"That's what matters."

"Where were you last night?" Sam asked his father angrily as he walked over.

"Sam," Ali warned quietly, not wanting anything to kick off. She spotted Dean out of the corner of her eye and it was clear he was thinking the same thing.

"I had some things to take care of," John said. Sam rolled his eyes.

"Well, that's specific," he said sarcastically.

"Come on, Sam," Dean tried like Ali had.

"Did you go after the demon?" Sam accused. Ali pulled a hand across her forehead in exasperation, wishing the tension in the air would dispel as soon as possible.

"Can we not fight?" John asked, his eyes pleading. "You know, half the time we're fighting, I don't know what we're fighting about. We're just butting heads." He took a breath as he looked to his younger son. "Sammy, I, I've made some mistakes. But I've always done the best I could." Ali's mind wondered to her conversation with him the day before. "I just don't want to fight anymore, okay?"

"Dad, are you all right?" Sam asked. His voice was worried.

"Yeah, I'm just a little tired," he said as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "Hey, son, would you, uh, would you mind getting me a cup of caffeine?" John eyes glanced from Sam to the blonde girl. Ali could see the frown on Sam's face but she could also see the pleading look in John's eyes. He needed to talk to Dean. Alone. That much was obvious.

"Come on, Sam," she muttered quietly, pulling on the younger Winchester's sleeve. She was tired. They were all tired.

* * *

"Do you really think Dean could've got the reaper to bring him back?" Ali asked Sam as she walked beside him to John's room. She was on her third espresso that morning, the only sleep she had gotten since arriving at the hospital from when she had dozed off in Dean's room whilst Sam had gone out.

"I dunno," Sam replied. "It's possible, I guess."

"Hmm," Ali mumbled a little sceptically. But although she wasn't sure how Dean was alive, he was alive. That was what mattered. They hadn't lost anyone today, and for that, she was thankful. They rounded the corner and reached the entrance to John's room, and with one glance at the body lying on the floor, the gratitude she felt dissipated into a million pieces.

"Dad!" she heard Sam shout as he ran into the room. It all seemed to happen in slow motion. She watched Sam slide to the floor beside his father as she stumbled through the door way, her hand over her mouth as she gasped. She couldn't help the tears that spilled over her eyelids as she turned around, yelling to the corridor for some help. The coffee cup that Sam had been holding had fallen to the floor, the contents spilling onto the lino. The doctors filed in, pushing her out of the way like she was insignificant. That was exactly what she was in that moment. Insignificant. All that mattered was John Winchester's pulseless body on the hospital floor.

The whole time she had been thinking about how Sam couldn't lose a brother. About how awful and gaping the hole was that had been made in her when Tyler had died. The whole time she had been praying Sam wouldn't lose Dean. She never would have comprehended that today was the day both Sam and Dean would lose their father.

* * *

 **AN: So we're in to season 2 now and things are gonna get interesting...**

 **I remember first watching this episode and really liking it but still finding it really sad :((( Like why do Sam and Dean have to lose everyone :(((((((( cry. And then I was like, at least they still have Bobby... this show has literally taken over my life and I don't even care :D**

 **Thanks to everyone who has read/followed/favorited/reviewed this story. Means so much! If you have something you want to see more of/less of or any constructive criticism that would be awesome!**

 **Let me know what you thought of this chapter, much love x**


	11. Chapter 11 - Ten

If there was one thing that the people closest to Allison Venator associated her with the most, it was her anklet. Most who knew her, including the Winchester's, had never seen her without it. Ali didn't even take it off to shower. The delicate piece of jewellery that hung around her left ankle was intricately designed, the tiny chain loops drooping delicately between the unusual gems. When she had first got the unique piece of jewellery, she hadn't thought it was anything more significant than just that. A piece of jewellery. She was only six at the time when it had fallen into her possession. Later on, when she and Tyler had stayed with Bobby for a weekend, he had informed her of its true significance.

 _"_ _Is that black tourmaline?"_ Sam had asked when he had first noticed it a few weeks after she had met him. He had seemed very interested in it at the time and had probed her with questions about when and where she had acquired it.

 _"_ _Bobby said it's for protection,"_ Ali had told Sam. _"_ _But he didn't say what against."_

 _"_ _Well some people think it protects against black magic,"_ Sam had informed her as he punched at the keys on his computer, pulling up numerous web pages to show her. _"_ _But it's more associated with positivity and protecting the mind. Like helping with stress and anxiety."_ She had considered his words for a short while before deciding that if that was what it was meant to do, it didn't really work. Her life hadn't exactly been stress – free and anyone you asked were certainly not say she was known for her positivity.

Of course, its real worth to Ali wasn't measured in what special powers it had, but in sentimental value. Her mother had brought it back from a trip to Shri Lanka many years before when she and her father had gone on a hunt there. Ali's parents had left her and her brother at Bobby's house for just under a week. She remembered when they had returned and she had run to her mother, hugging her legs before her father picked her up in his arms and she buried her face into his shoulder as she told him sternly not to go away again.

 _"_ _You didn't have fun at Uncle Bobby's?"_ her father had asked as he tickled her side. She squealed with laughter until he stopped and then pouted at him.

 _"_ _Tyler wouldn't let me have a go with his rifle_ ," she whined. _"_ _He said I'm too little."_ Her father laughed.

 _"_ _Well that's ridiculous,"_ he had said, humouring her though he, of course, agreed with his son. _"_ _But you know what, baby? When you're a little older and can actually hold a rifle, I'll teach you how to shoot it myself."_ The little blonde girl had thought for a moment, her brow furrowed.

 _"_ _I'm six next week. Will that be old enough?"_ her big blue eyes had stared up at him hopefully. He laughed, ruffling her curls as he placed her on the ground.

 _"_ _We'll see, baby,"_ he had replied. _"_ _Where's your brother?"_

 _"_ _In the yard with Bobby,"_ she had told him as she traced the outline of his pockets on his jacket. He'd smiled at her again, patting her on the shoulder before he left to find his eldest child.

 _"_ _Honey, come here a minute,"_ her mother had said, beaconing her over towards the couch. Ali had followed her over, perching herself on the edge of the seat, her feet still unable to touch the ground. _"_ _I got something for you."_ Her mother had pulled out a small black box, telling her it was supposed to be for her birthday, but she thought she could have it a few days early. Inside the box was the anklet.

For the first few years it had hung low on the ankle, making it a little uncomfortable for her to wear. But, as she matured, it had become almost a part of her – something she felt naked without. Ali wasn't sure of the last time she had taken it off.

She sat on the couch at Bobby's place as she absentmindedly fingered the silvery links. It had been over ten years since her mother had given it to her. It was one of the few early memories she had of her parents. Of course, the memory of their death was another thing at the forefront of her mind, especially after the events of the last week. The death of John Winchester had churned up long since buried feelings about her own parents. It didn't help that it was coming up the anniversary of their death. It was hard for her every year around this time but this year was proving particularly draining. John's death wasn't the only reason. The other was that it wasn't just the anniversary of her parent's death; it was the ten-year anniversary.

 _Ten years._ Ali found it hard to believe it had really been that long. It was over half her lifetime. Sometimes it seemed like yesterday that her parents had been alive, that she had had a family, but other times, she felt the weight of the ten years dragging on her.

And that was why she knew she needed to be there for Sam and Dean. Although their situations were very different, the underlying feeling of sudden loneliness and confusion would be the same. Ali wasn't sure what she would say if one of the Winchesters asked her if, after ten years, the pain had had subsided. She predicted if either of them were to ask, it would be Sam. Dean wasn't one for sharing his feelings – nor was Ali for that matter – but if Sam needed an answer, she would tell him that everything gets better with time, a standard, cop-out answer that Sam wouldn't buy one bit.

But what could she tell him? That yeah, losing parents sucked? Yeah, you're probably gonna be living with a gaping hole for the rest of your life? That you'll feel guilty for most of it? And yeah, no amount of hunting, drinking, eating or sex was going to help? That wasn't the answer Sam would be looking for either, but Ali wouldn't be able to give him what he wanted. All she could do was to tend to the open wound and make life just a little bit more bearable for both the Winchester boys

Because Ali had learnt after ten years of loss and denial and guilt that the old cliché that time heals all wounds, was crap.

* * *

"Here," Ali said as she placed the plate on the table in front of the younger Winchester. He looked up from his reading in surprise and smiled gratefully at her.

"Thanks," he replied, resting the book down and taking a bite of the sandwich. It had only been a few days since they had burnt John's body – they being Sam and Dean since Ali hadn't felt it was appropriate for her to be there too. Since then, Ali had spent most of her time running errands for Bobby or preparing meals. Having the four of them in the house together had been strange for Ali, finding it hard to get a moment to herself. Sam spent most of his time in the lounge or the kitchen, meaning the only space Ali had to herself was in her room, which, to her surprise, she had been spending less and less time in. In fact, she found she didn't mind the younger Winchester's constant presence. Bobby had been out a fair bit recently and Dean spent all him time in the yard working on the impala and not dealing with his feelings. This meant that if it weren't for Sam, she would find herself slowing sinking into a pit of loneliness with nothing to do.

She had found she had been playing a waiting game since John died. Waiting for Dean to snap out of his spiral of guilt and denial. Waiting for Sam to confront Dean about it. She was tired of waiting, or maybe she was just tired. All she knew was that she couldn't push it. She was trying give the boys what they needed, which initially she thought was space. But as it turned out, Sam didn't need or want space and no matter how much space any of them gave Dean, he would still accuse them of breathing down his throat.

Ali grabbed her own plate from the counter and put it on the table opposite Sam. She had already taken one through to Bobby and only one remained on the counter untouched. That was for Dean. For the last two days, she had taken it out to him and he hadn't touched it. She figured that by today, he would be getting hungry. Even so, she would leave it on the side in the hopes he would come in the house. She knew that hoping he would sit down with her and Sam was just wishful thinking, but at the least, she hoped he might be in the same room as them for more than thirty seconds.

She sat down across from Sam, pulling the book he had been reading over the table towards her so she could read it as she took a bite of her lunch.

 _"_ _Celtic Lore: Deities of the Iron Age,"_ she read from the front cover, her eyes shifting up to Sam with a raised brow. It was the first book she had seen him with that didn't have the word 'Demon' in the title. Sam shot her an unamused look, pulling the book back away from him.

"Never hurts to be brushed up on your lore," Sam commented, opening up the book to where he got to with one hand whist he held his sandwich in the other. Ali narrowed her eyes at him.

"You think I don't know my lore?" she asked. Sam rolled his eyes.

"I think you can always know more," he replied. "I'm mean, you won't know it if you don't study."

"I do study," Ali said, her brow furrowed. Sam looked up, trying to supress an amused smile at how defensive she was getting.

"Oh yeah? So how would you identify a wraith?" Sam asked.

"Mirror," Ali said quickly. Sam chuckled to himself – she had taken the bait like he always knew she would.

"And how do you kill a werewolf?" he asked again.

"Silver," Ali replied.

"Changeling?"

"Fire."

"Banshee?"

"Gold."

"Kitsune?"

"Stab it or starve it." Ali finished with a small smirk, feeling like she had proven her point to Sam. He chuckled back at her a little.

"And, uh, how would you stop a reaper?" Sam asked. Ali paused, her mind racing back to the hospital when Dean had been in a comber. Back when they thought he was going to die. Back when John was alive…

"Trick question," Ali replied, pushing her memories down and sending Sam a smirk. This was the most upbeat she'd seen him all week. "You can't kill death." Sam shook his head, a small smile on his lips.

"Are we playing twenty questions?" The voice came from the doorway and both Ali and Sam looked up in surprise to see Dean at the entrance to the room. Ali had barely heard his voice since his father had passed, Dean just grunting in response to her questions.

"Dean," she said, still a little in shock at his appearance. She watched his eyes as they glanced over her and Sam's half eaten sandwiches. Her plan had worked. "There's some lunch for you on the side." Dean nodded and she sent him a small smile as he walked over to the counter and picked up the plate.

"Thanks," he grunted. Ali watched him pause and she silently hoped that he would pull out a chair and join her and Sam at the table. After what seemed like a quick internal debate in Dean's mind, he left the room, no doubt taking his lunch outside so that he could continue to work on the impala.

Ali sighed, taking another bite of her sandwich. _One step at a time._

* * *

A few days later, Ali caught Sam and Dean in the lounge stuffing things into duffle bags. She frowned, not only at the sight of them together but at the fact that they seemed to be packing. She cleared her throat, folding her arms across her chest. The two Winchesters stopped what they were doing and looked up at her. She raised an eyebrow at them.

"Going somewhere?"

"We think we might have a lead on the demon," Sam said, going back to packing. Ali's eyes widened.

"Okay," Ali said, a little taken aback. _Wasn't this supposed to be good news?_ The brothers didn't look as ecstatic about it as she had expected. "What's the lead?" She watched as Dean pulled out a phone and pressed a few buttons on it before tossing it in her direction. It caught her off guard a little but she managed to catch it and press the phone to her ear.

 _"_ _John, it's Ellen. Again. Look, don't be stubborn, you know I can help you. Call me."_

Ali frowned, instantly recognising the voice, though she hadn't heard it in years.

"So, you know who this is?" Ali asked.

"No," Dean replied. "But Sam ran a trace and we've got an address. Somewhere in -."

"Nebraska," Ali filled in for him, rolling her eyes a little. The Winchesters looked up at her. "Harvelle's roadhouse, I know where it is."

"You've been there before?" Sam asked sceptically.

"Yeah. I did have a life before I met the two of you," she deadpanned. Dean shot her a look. "Borrow a car from Bobby. You can follow me there."

"Follow you?" Sam asked, raising and brow at the blonde girl. Ali smirked.

"Just because I don't have a license, doesn't mean I don't know how to drive." With that, Ali grabbed a set of keys from the table and headed outside. She knew she could've driven with Sam and Dean but she knew they needed some time alone to talk. With her not there, they didn't have an excuse not to.

* * *

"This is humiliating," Dean exclaimed as they pulled up behind Ali in an old minivan. "I feel like a friggin' soccer mom!"

"It's the only car Bobby had running," Sam defended, climbing out of the passenger side and making his way towards the roadhouse.

Ali climbed out of the old, beat up Toyota corolla and looked up at the Roadhouse, memories of the last time she had been there flashing before her eyes. The place looked more dishevelled than she remembered and there didn't seem to be any lights on inside. It must have been closed.

"Ali, why don't you sit tight, me and Sam will check it out," Dean said, casting Ali a look before making his way towards the building.

"I've been here before, Dean. It's fine," Ali assured him, but Dean didn't seem in the mood for negotiations.

"Look, Ali, you said it yourself, you haven't been here in years," Dean said. "I'd feel better if you waited out here." She wanted to protest, but she knew Dean was fragile right now. They all were. She nodded with a sigh, pulling open the car door and hopping back in to the driver's seat.

She didn't watch as Sam and Dean entered the Roadhouse, instead, trying to recall the last time she had been here. After herself and Tyler had left Bobby's place to go off on their own they had found themselves at Harvelle's on many occasions. Ellen had seemed to have taken a particular interest in both of them, probably considering they were so young and that she had once been close to both their parents. In fact, her husband had hunted a few times with the couple before he had passed. Ali was also pretty sure that Ellen's daughter had once had a crush on her brother, though they had been very close friends.

Ali would occasionally stay with Ellen and her daughter Jo by herself for a few days if Tyler had a particularly difficult case. Although he was young at the time to be going hunting by himself, he was only around eighteen years old, Ellen let him go. She knew he was a very talented hunter and if his last name wasn't enough evidence for that, the time she saw him single handily take down a rugaru certainly was.

The blonde girl sighed as she fiddled with the small piece of jewellery around her ankle. She was still tired of waiting around. Tired of waiting for hunters. Tired of waiting for people who thought she couldn't handle the big wide world of the supernatural just because of her age. With a huff, she pushed open her door and stalked across the dusty drive towards the roadhouse. She took a deep breath before she entered, pushing the door open and entering the saloon.

"Woah," she said as she took a step inside, catching sight of the barrel of a gun that had shifted its aim from Dean to her.

"Dammit," Dean mumbled under his breath, sending the girl a harsh glare.

"What's wrong with your face?" Ali asked, noticing how Dean was clutching his nose. He didn't respond, turning away so he could keep an eye on the girl with the gun.

"Sam! Need some help in here," Dean yelled to the other room. A door opened across the bar and Sam emerged, both hands on his head.

"Sorry, Dean, I can't right now," he said, walking in slowly, revealing an older woman behind him who was pressing a pistol to his head. "I'm a little tied up." Ali shifted her eyes towards the older woman, the corner of her mouth twitching up in a small smile.

"Sam? Dean?" she asked, looking between the two brothers. "Winchester?"

"Yeah," they replied together.

"Mom, you know these guys?" the younger one asked, lowering her weapon when she saw her mother do the same.

"Yeah, I think these are John Winchester's boys," she replied. "I'm Ellen. This is my daughter Jo." Ellen nodded towards her daughter as she introduced her.

"I think you already know our shadow over there," Dean said, nodding in Ali's direction who had remained silent throughout the whole exchange.

"Son of a bitch," Ellen said as her eyes scanned over Ali's form, her expression astonished and surprisingly happy. "Little Ali Venator," she said, releasing a sincere laugh and beaconing her over for a hug. Although Ali wasn't too fond of the adjective she couldn't help but smile in return. "I haven't seen you since you were ten years old."

"It's good to see you again," Ali replied as Ellen squeezed her arm in a side hug. She felt strangely sentimental at being back at the Roadhouse.

"You called our dad, said you could help," Dean interjected, wanting to get back on the topic of the phone message. "Help with what?"

"Well, the demon, of course," Ellen replied. "I heard he was closing in on it."

"What, was there an article in the Demon Hunters Quarterly that I missed?" Dean asked sarcastically. "I mean, who are you? How do you know about all this?"

"Hey, I just run a saloon," Ellen replied defensively. "But hunters have been known to pass through now and again. Including your Dad, a long time ago," Ellen said. _And Ali and Tyler._ "John was like family once."

"So why exactly do we need your help?" Dean asked.

"If you don't want my help, fine. But John wouldn't have sent you if…" Ellen trailed off, her expression changing to realisation. "He didn't send you," she said, thinking out loud. "He's all right, isn't he?" Ali shifted uncomfortably on her feet as she cast her eyes over to Dean. He caught her eye before looking over to Sam.

"No, he isn't," Sam said, clearing his throat. "It was the demon, we think. It, um, it just got him before he got it, I guess."

"I'm so sorry," Ellen said, her brow furrowing at the boys.

"It's okay. We're all right," Dean assured. Ali wasn't convinced that Ellen had bought it.

"If you can help, we could use all the help we can get," Sam said.

"Well, we can't," Ellen replied. "But Ash will." They all shot her questioning looks, including Ali who didn't think she knew an Ash. "Ash!" Ellen called, causing a passed-out man on the bar to jerk up in shock, suddenly awake. Ali jumped back a little, not having realised there was anyone there.

"What? It closing time?" the man, Ash, asked confusedly.

"That's Ash?" Sam asked disbelievingly.

"Mm-hmm," Jo replied. "He's a genius."

* * *

Ali sat across the Saloon from where Ash, Jo and the Winchesters were trying to work out a way to track the demon. Ellen emerged in front of her, sliding a beer over the counter towards her along with a bottle opener. Ali raised a brow at her.

"You look like you need it, kid," Ellen replied to Ali's unspoken question. Ali smiled tiredly, cracking open the beer and taking a sip. The older woman eyed the blonde girl carefully, her brow furrowed as she tried to figure her out. She had so many questions about what she had been up to since she had seen her last, but knowing Ali like she had used to, she knew she couldn't push it. Ali _was_ one of those people who needed space.

"Thanks," Ali said after a while. She seemed absentminded and Ellen wasn't sure whether she meant for the beer or something else. She smiled a little but didn't question it.

"Jo and I were sorry to hear about your brother," she said, taking a seat opposite Ali. The blonde girl paused for a moment, the comment catching her off guard. "We mighta come to the funeral but we didn't hear until a couple months after." Ali placed her drink on the counter.

"There wasn't a funeral," she replied. "There wasn't even a body."

"Of course," Ellen said. "I'm sorry." Ali took another sip of the beer. "How long have you been with Sam and Dean?"

"Bout seven months," Ali replied.

"Hunting?"

"sometimes." Ellen sighed, feeling like she wasn't going to get anywhere with the girl. Not today anyway.

"I thought of you this morning," Ellen said in one final attempt. "I know this is a hard time for you. Especially without Tyler…"

"It's been ten years," Ali said finally. "You'd think it would get easier, but it still sucks."

"Preaching to the choir, honey," Ellen said, her eyes saddened with understanding.

"I never thanked you for everything that you did for me and -."

"Your thanks aren't necessary," Ellen replied, with a small smile. Ali returned one appreciatively, before Sam called Ellen's name and she excused herself away.

Ali tuned out the rest of the Roadhouse. She couldn't decide whether she wanted to punch something or curl up into a ball for a week and not talk to anyone. She figured maybe somewhere in between. She needed sleep. Grieving was exhausting and Dean's steady regime of four hours a night that she had been trying out was not working for her.

"Dean, Ali, come here, check this out," Sam said, snapping Ali from her thoughts. She downed the rest of her beer and wandered over to where Sam was looking at a file.

"What is it?" she asked, turning her face away after she had spoken to yawn.

"A few murders, not far from here, that Ellen caught wind of," Sam explained. "Looks to me like there might be a hunt."

"Yeah. So?" Dean asked.

"So, I told her we'd check it out," Sam said

They said their goodbyes to the three roadhouse residents, Ali assuring Ellen that she would keep in touch. As they made their way towards their respective cars in the parking lot, Ali hesitated by the driver's door, her lip between her teeth.

"Ali? You coming?" Dean asked. Ali looked back at them to see where they were both looking at her expectantly. She cleared her throat.

"You know what, I uh," she said, running her fingers through her hair. "I think I'm gonna sit this one out. I'll head back to Bobby's." Dean shot her a confused look.

"Since when do you ever turn down a hunt?" Dean asked sceptically.

"I dunno, I'm just not really in the mood today," she said. Dean raised a brow.

"Not in the mood? You haven't turned down one hunt I seven months, Ali. How can you just suddenly not be in the mood?"

"I'm not in the mood, Dean," she repeated, her voice hard and harsher than she had intended.

"It's okay, Ali," Sam said, nodding in her direction whilst shooting Dean a glare to tell him to shut up. Ali swore she also saw him glance down to her left ankle. "We'll meet you back at Bobby's when we're done."

Ali nodded in return, swinging the door open and climbing into the car. She couldn't hunt now. Not today. On a day that reminded her of so much grief and loss and death, she wouldn't be able to play a part in any of it.

* * *

Bobby was surprised when he found Ali sitting on the porch steps by herself. She sipped on a cold beer, her eyes scanning the junkyard, gaze falling on the beaten-up impala. Bobby's attention fell on the row of five beer bottles on the step next to her, one of which looked like it had already been consumed.

"I don't need to be concerned, do I?" Bobby asked flatly. "I mean, I never got around to reading _parenting for dummies_." Ali chuckled dryly. "Where're the boys?" he asked as he approached her. Ali smiled small at how he referred to Sam and Dean.

"On a hunt," Ali replied, looking up at him. The sun was behind him, making her eyes squint so she could see him.

"Did Ellen recognise you?" Bobby asked.

"Yeah," she replied.

"You can't've changed too much then," Bobby said with a chuckle. Ali took another sip from the bottle.

"I don't know about that," Ali muttered under her breath.

"You didn't want to go on the hunt with Sam and Dean?" he asked. "I wouldn't've stopped you this time," he joked. Ali shook her head.

"Not today, Bobby," she said, casting him a knowing look. Bobby sighed.

"Right." He bent down, taking a seat next to her on the porch steps. She picked a beer bottle from next to her and handed it to him, cracking it open before he took it. "I think we're gonna need a bigger bottle." Ali laughed, a real, slightly hysterical laugh that Bobby couldn't help but chuckle at. But as the laughter faded away into silence, he knew she was anything but happy in that moment.

He put an arm around her shoulder, pulling her into his side as she rested her head on his shoulder. "You're doing alright, kiddo," he murmured as he heard the first of her quiet sobs. He would pretend that he hadn't noticed them, like he always did. He knew it was what she wanted. And when Sam and Dean returned from whatever they were hunting, she would suck it up and be a hunter again. But for now, she was a teenager who had lost too much too young. And he was the only person she trusted enough to let console her.

* * *

 **AN: So that was chapter 11, hoped you liked it! Will be exploring more into Ali's back story for season 2 so I hope you like what is coming soon!**

 **Let me know what you thought of this chapter, much love x**


	12. Chapter 12 - Blood Red

Ali groaned at the sound of footsteps climbing the stairs, turning over to press her face further into her pillow. She didn't know what time it was but the sun had started to peak through the curtains. A knock came at the door and she turned over, pretending to still be asleep. They knocked again.

"Ali?" She heard Sam's voice at the door before there was a muffled whisper and another much harsher knocking came.

"Ali, get your ass outta bed." She rolled her eyes at the sound of the elder Winchester. He was always more bossy than his brother. He knocked again. "Come on, open up." Ali groaned, rolling out of bed and running her fingers through her matted hair. She was definitely not a morning person. "You've got ten seconds, young lady or I'll -." Dean was abruptly cut off by the sound of the door whipping open, revealing the blonde girl behind it.

"Young lady?" she asked with a raised brow. Dean smirked, his eyes casting over her dishevelled form.

"Morning bed head,'" he teased. Ali scowled at him.

"Where's Sam?" she asked, noticing that the younger Winchester was nowhere to be found.

"Packing," Dean replied, stuffing his hands into his pockets of his coat. _Why was he wearing a coat?_

"Where're you going?" Ali asked, folding her arms and leaning against the door frame.

"Bobby found us a hunt," Dean said.

"Awesome," she said dryly. "You want me to help you with your bags?" Dean shook his head. He forgot how much attitude she could have when she was moody.

"You should come with," Dean offered. Ali thought for a moment, though she already knew her answer.

"I'll pass," she replied, turning around to head back into her room. "Thanks for the offer."

"Hey, wait a second," Dean said, reaching out a hand to grab her shoulder. She turned around before he made contact with it and he retracted his hand awkwardly. He sighed. "Look, I know the last couple months have sucked ass, but me and Sam were talking and we need you back in the game," he said, his voice sounding sincere, though Ali still wasn't sure she believed him.

"No, you don't," Ali said a little flatly. "You and Sam are great hunters. I'll just stay here."

"We don't want you getting rusty," Dean said pointedly. Ali shook her head.

"You know I'm right," she replied. "I'm the last month you already sorted out that zombie nightmare and managed to take down that psycho bastard."

"You mean Gordon?" Dean clarified. Ali nodded. "I kicked that son of a bitch's ass."

"Yeah," she replied. "I rest my case."

"Yeah, okay, I know we did all that without you, but it doesn't matter," Dean said. "You're part of the team."

"The team?" Ali deadpanned. She worried if the elder Winchester had a screw loose. After everything, she wouldn't be surprised.

"Yeah, you know? Me, you and Sam... on the road together. Saving people, hunting things..." Ali raised a brow at him. He seemed way too... chipper.

"Are you high?" she asked. Dean laughed. It sounded weirdly fake.

"No, Ali," he said. "It'll be just like old times." Well that would be interesting since she'd only know them for less than a year. "The three musketeers." Ali cringed.

"Seriously, are you wearing an earpiece or something?" She said, grabbing Dean's chin and tilting his face to the side. "Is Sam telling you to say all this crap?"

"No, no, no," he said, slapping away her hand from his face. "Okay, I'll admit, those weren't some of my best lines." He held his hands up and Ali relaxed a little. He was back to normal. "We underestimated you, Ali," Dean said. "I underestimated you. You're a good hunter," he paused and Ali tried to suppress a smile that was creeping into her lips. "You could be a great hunter." She stared at him, wondering where these sudden compliments were coming from. Could it be that Dean Winchester might actually not mind having her around? "We're all be dragged through crap recently, so why not go kick some monster ass?" _Okay, maybe hard-ass Dean Winchester could be kinda sweet sometimes._ Ali cleared her throat.

"So, uh, this team," Ali started, biting her lip. "What exactly does my role entail."

"We can discuss the logistics on the way," Dean replied, starting to walk away. Ali cleared her throat, causing him to turn back around.

"Do I get to actually hunt?" Ali asked, raising a brow at him.

"You bet," Dean replied, his answer only seeming a little reluctant. Ali was pretty sure that Sam had something to do with that.

"And I won't get stuck doing research the whole day?" She clarified. Dean shook his head.

"Not if you don't want to," Dean replied. Ali smiled a little at this response. She rarely managed to get what she wanted when it came to Dean, but today, for some reason, he was being particularly lenient.

"Do I get to drive your car?" She asked. Dean's expression hardened to a glare.

"Don't push it," he said, pointing a finger at her. She smirked a little at his response, finding how possessive he was over the impala very amusing.

"Worth a shot," Ali muttered.

"Hmm," Dean grunted, holding his glare a little longer before he let it drop. "Get dressed, we're leaving in ten."

* * *

Ali slammed the door to the newly fixed up impala once they had pulled up outside the motel in Fort Collins, Colorado. It had been a fairly long drive and they hadn't stopped once, meaning she really was itching to stretch her legs. She hadn't asked Dean to stop at a gas station, remembering what had happened last time…

"So, what's the deal?" Ali asked as she followed the boys into the entrance of the motel and Sam went to book two rooms.

"Several missing persons, two corpses, both drained of blood with lacerations particularly to the neck area," Dean said, gesturing to his own neck with his hand. Ali clicked her tongue.

"Vampires," she said, her voice a little disgusted. "I hate vampires." Dean snorted.

"Why? Because they don't sparkle?" he quipped. Ali shot him a glare. She knew he had been suppressing the urge to comment on the copy of _Twilight_ he had found in her room at Bobby's for a while now.

"Shut up," she replied, grabbing her room key from Sam and stalking down the veranda to her room.

Once there, she let herself in and shut the door, stripping down to her underwear so she could change into something a little more suitable for hunting. She picked a pair of black jeans and a t-shirt which she tucked in before throwing on a light jacket. She then shoved her feet back into her combat boots and threw her hair into a pony tail so it was out of her face. Lastly, she picked out her small knife from her duffle bag and slipped it into her right boot. Technically, the blade wasn't hers. It had belonged to her brother.

In the long time the Venator family had been hunting creatures of the night, it had been a tradition that when a child turned thirteen, they were given a silver blade. Ali had always thought of it as a rite of passage, one that she had never gotten to see. Her parents had died long before she met the ripe old age of thirteen. Even Tyler was gone. By the time she finally reached her teenage years she had been living with Bobby with no Venator in sight to guide her through the 'coming of age' process. From what she could remember, her parents had made it kind of a big deal, though after they passed, Tyler had assured her that it was nothing special - just a fancy piece of silverware. When he had passed, she had remembered to retrieve the knife from the bloodied motel room. Bobby had assured her it was okay if she had it, even if it was originally Tyler's. Even so, Ali didn't lay a finger on the blade until her thirteenth birthday.

Once she was ready, Ali headed for the door, meeting the brothers outside in the cool breeze. She noticed that they had changed too, though instead of their hunting gear, they were dressed in official looking suits. She supposed that was their usual hunting gear. She sighed as they made their way outside back to the impala, realising she wasn't going to be a part of _every_ aspect of the hunt. She was still only sixteen, meaning there was no way in hell she would pass for FBI.

* * *

Ali's finger traced along the handle of the knife, her skin brushing over the intricate engraving. Despite the fall coming quicker than ever, the sun still beat down, warming the hood of the Impala which she was sitting on. She slipped the blade away when she noticed Sam and Dean emerge from the hospital morgue and slid off the front of the car, not missing the slight scowl Dean sent her. The elder Winchester loved his car almost as much as he loved his brother. Ali knew that Baby was certainly higher on the list than she was.

"Did you get a look at the vics?" she asked, watching as Sam pulled out his phone.

"Yep," he replied. "Take a look at this." Sam turned the screen in Ali's direction so she could take a look at one of the victim's necks.

"Guess we were right about the vampires, huh?" she clarified, grimacing a little at the photo before handing the phone back to the younger Winchester.

"Looks like it," Dean replied, pulling the tie from around his neck. Ali nodded.

"So, what now?" she asked. She felt a little dumb asking for directions, feeling like she should know what to do. However, Dean nor Sam seemed to be bothered by all her questions and she guessed it was because they preferred her to ask than just act, something she had a habit of doing (according to Bobby, that is).

"I was doing some research earlier," Sam started. "And there's an abandoned barn just outside of town. There's been some reports of recent activity there."

"Maybe that's where the nest is," Ali suggested, catching on to what Sam was suggesting. They both turned to look at Dean. He had his thinking frown on his face, a subtler expression than when he wore his I'm-very-concerned frown or his I'm-pissed-at-everything-today face. Ali and Sam waited for his response.

"We should check it out soon," he said finally. "We don't know how many there might be and we have an advantage in the daylight." They agreed and piled into the car, Dean driving once again as Sam directed them to the barn.

They didn't drive all the way up, instead, climbing out of the Impala on the side of the road so the vampires wouldn't be able to hear them approaching. As the three of them crept through the woods, Ali couldn't help but find the fact that the brothers were searching for _vampires_ whilst wearing suits. They whole thing seemed ridiculous. Sam was even still wearing his tie.

It was clear to Ali as they continued to approach the barn that Dean wasn't completely at ease with her being around. She could tell by certain gestures of his body and expressions on his face. He kept slightly in front of her the whole time, his body angled in a defensive way rather than that of something stalking its prey. She hoped her presence wouldn't impact his hunting detrimentally. As they inched further and further to the dishevelled building, Dean gestured for Ali and Sam to fall back, signalling to them that he was going to check it out.

The elder Winchester headed away and Sam crouched down so he was more closely hidden by the trees. He glanced to his side, watching Ali as her eyes followed every movement of his brother. Something inside him swelled and almost caused his lips to twitch up in a smile. He found the way Ali always seemed to take in every minuscule movement either of them made endearing. It was like she thought that by taking in and absorbing everything _they_ did, she would learn from it and overall, it would make her a better hunter.

That was something Sam struggled to comprehend sometimes – Ali wanted to hunt. Not just for revenge or justice for her brother, but because she liked it. She liked the thrill it gave her, the satisfaction when she destroyed some evil son of a bitch. Sure, when Sam had been younger he had wanted to join his father and brother on the hunt, but when he was older, he'd wanted more. He wanted to go to college. He wanted a life. But now, that life seemed miles away. Now, he wasn't sure what he wanted.

Dean returned quickly, jogging slightly as he cut through the trees. Sam and Ali both straightened up, looking to Dean expectantly for the news.

"There's five of 'em as far as I could tell," he told them as they headed back to the impala. "Two guys, three chicks." Ali nodded. _Five vampires_. That seemed like a lot. She hoped they would be able to take them on. "But from the looks of it, one of the guys and the red head are a thing. Pretty sure they're the leaders. The other three look newly turned."

"Okay," Ali said. "So why don't we just go back? Finish the job now?" Dean shook his head, pulling open the driver's door when they'd reached the car.

"Not now," he said, his voice deep. "It's nearly sundown. We should come back tomorrow." Ali nodded her head, feeling like she was starting to get the hand of things. "Besides," Dean continued. "This is a new suit."

* * *

Ali picked at her fries, dunking one into a heap of mayo before shoving it into her mouth. She rested her chin on her free hand, her eyes occasionally glancing up to the bar. Dean stood there, his attention honed on the female bar tender even though she had already poured both their drinks. Sam had decided to stay back at the motel, feeling like he just wanted to get some rest. Ali had felt similar, though she knew she wouldn't be able to sleep on her empty stomach. She was craving something greasy and calorific.

As her eyes scanned the rest of the bar, she spotted all the usual's. Across the room from her was flirting with a girl way out of his league. An older guy a few seats down the bar from Dean cradled a Whisky. It was probably not the first he'd had that night, and it definitely wasn't going to be the last. Her attention shot to the door as it swung open and a couple walked in, her eyes shifting over the guy's dark leather jacket and fixing on the woman's fiery hair. They headed over to the bar straight away, his arm slung over her shoulders.

"Drinking age is still twenty-one," Dean's voice said as he placed her soda on the table, snapping Ali's attention away from the couple.

"Unfortunately," she replied, taking a sip of her drink whilst Dean drank his beer.

"How's the food?" Dean asked, reaching open and swiping a few fries from her plate.

"Good," she replied. "How was the bar tender?" Dean shot her a blank look, as she raised a brow at him.

"Good," he replied, echoing her response as he smirked a little.

"Right," Ali said. "Well if you're planning on getting laid can you let me know so I can leave?" Dean looked unimpressed by her comment, though from her experience of what Dean could be like, he didn't blame her.

She rolled her eyes at him again, pushing the plate of fries towards him as she stood up. "I gotta use the restroom," she said, grabbing her soda and downing the rest. Dean grunted in response, his attention preoccupied with the woman sitting across from them. She was no longer being hassled by out-of-his-league guy and she guessed Dean reckoned he had a shot.

The blonde girl headed away quickly, walking though the crowded bar to find the ladies'. As she looked around for the sign, she didn't notice herself walking straight into someone. She turned around, mumbling her apologies before she caught sight of who it was. Leather Jacket, though his arm wasn't snaked around the redhead anymore.

Ali knew she probably looked like a deer in the headlights, so she schooled her features quickly, unconsciously pulling her jacket closer around her body. She looked eyes with the man momentarily, the feeling of ice sliding down her spine taking over her mind. There was something about him that was creepy and unnerving. She wanted to get away as quickly as possible. Forgetting completely about the restroom, she turned around, heading back to the table. She didn't want the rest of her food. She just wanted to leave.

Dean looked a little moody when she arrived. The pretty brunette in the seats across from them was nowhere to be seen. She sat down opposite him, her posture alone indicating to him that something was wrong.

"What is it?" he asked with a frown. Ali looked up passed his head, noticing the redhead sitting at the bar surrounded by a few other people. Ali nodded in her direction.

"You recognise her?" she asked. Dean raised a brow at her before turning around to take a glance at what she was staring at.

"Crap," he said, confirming Ali's initial suspicions. They must be the vampires.

"You've got a machete in the trunk, right?" Ali asked in a low voice.

"You think I can just take her head off in here?" Dean asked incredulously in a whisper.

"No, of course not," Ali replied. "But what are we supposed to do?" Dean thought for a moment but Ali wasn't listening for his reply. Her eyes had locked with Leather Jacket who had just appeared on the other side of the bar. At first, Ali hadn't been sure if it was her he was looking at, but now, it was like his stare cut through the loud atmosphere in the bar and punctured her lung. She looked away quickly as she bit her lip, her heart rate picking up.

 _Could he tell they were hunters? Did he know they were at the barn earlier?_

"Ali?" Dean said, bringing her from her thoughts for the second time that evening. From the expression on his face she figured it wasn't the first time he had called her name. He frowned at her, his features showing concern. "What…?" he asked as he followed the line of the girl's shifty glances, catching sight of the vampire he had seen earlier.

"Get up," he said quickly, downing the rest of his beer and sliding his arms into his jacket. "Let's get outta here."

* * *

"I didn't like the way he was looking at you," Dean protested. Ali rolled her eyes. Of course Dean didn't like the way he was looking at her. He was a fricking _vampire!_

"How was he looking?" Sam asked, a little confused. The younger Winchester and Ali both couldn't understand why Dean had rushed back to the motel when they had the vampires in their grasp. They could have just called Sam for backup.

"Like she was dinner!" Dean exclaimed, not understanding himself why his brother didn't get it.

"We should go back there," Ali interjected. "They could be looking for more people to turn. They might've taken someone else already!"

"Ali's right," Sam said, his eyes focused on Dean who tightened his jaw in thought. "He's got her scent, Dean. We need to take them out as quickly as possible."

"I know," Dean said finally, nodding to Sam. "We should go now." Ali blinked for a second, wondering if she had misinterpreted how Dean had gestured between himself and his brother.

"What about me?" she asked with raised eyebrows.

"Look," Dean sighed. "I don't like it any more than you do, but there's five of them, Ali. It's not safe for you."

"Not safe?" Ali asked, not believing what she was hearing. "Don't you think it's a little late for you to play that card?"

"Enough!" Sam's voice cut though their argument and they both fell silent. "This is wasting time." Ali looked up at the both of them, her eyes livid. Dean knew she was pissed, but he couldn't let her come with them.

"He's got you scent," Dean explained again, trying to get the girl to understand. Although he wanted them to get along, her safety was more important. "I'm sorry, okay?" Dean said and Ali thought he almost sounded sincere.

Ali didn't say another word as they geared up and slipped out of the room, the only thought swirling through her mind was whether Dean would ever think she was good enough.

* * *

Ali didn't need to look up from examining the silver blade to know it was Dean that had just walked through the door. She did anyway, sending him a frown when the younger Winchester didn't follow him into the motel room.

"Where's Sam?" she asked. Dean placed his machete on the dresser, his sleeve splattered with crimson spots.

"Burying the bodies," he replied. He seemed twitchy and his eyes darted around the room, like he was checking that no one else was there.

"Why aren't you?" she asked. Dean could feel the bite in her tone.

"I needed to make sure…" he trailed off. Ali looked up, suddenly concerned. Dean knew she wanted answers. "One of 'em got away." Ali swallowed thickly. She didn't need to asked which one.

"He ran?" she asked, trying not to seem like she was afraid.

"Well after we killed the others, I think he figured he was next," he said with a small smirk but it materialised as a grimace. "He'll be long gone by now though. We'll wait until morning before Sam and I –."

"Sam and you?" Ali asked bitterly. "So much for the _team_." She muttered the last words under her breath but Dean still caught her.

"Ali, I'm not excluding you because I think you're a bad hunter," Dean sighed.

"Then why can't I come too?" Ali questioned, memories of their conversation the day before coming to the surface. He'd said she would be in on the hunt. Why was he side-lining her now?

"Because I need you safe!" he yelled, his voice so loud it made Ali take a step back. She considered his words before brushing them off. She'd really thought his opinions about her hunting had changed - that he thought she could handle it. She'd been wrong. Nothing had changed.

"You're full of bullshit, you know that?" she said back. Dean looked like he might yell again but instead he punched the bridge of his nose.

"You know what? I can't deal with a temper tantrum from you right now," he said, grabbing his machete and walking out of the motel room, slamming the door behind him.

"Dean!" she yelled after him in anger. She had considered just leaving him be – he'd had a long night - but enough was enough. She hadn't even wanted in on this hunt and he had convinced her to come. There was no way she was staying put. She grabbed her knife, shoving the blade into her boot before pulling the door open and stepping out into the night.

"Dean!" she yelled again as she looked around to chase after him. She frowned when there wasn't any sign of him before running to the right to see if she could see him.

"Dean?" she called, this time with more concern than anger. She jogged further down the path, her blood running cold when she caught sight of his machete on the ground. She stared down at it, starting to panic and leant over to grasp it in her hand. But before she had a chance to pick it up she felt a sharp pain in the back of her head before everything went black.

* * *

Her head pounded as she began to regain consciousness. The first thing she noticed was the stinging in her wrists. They were tied tightly behind her back as she sat on the concrete flaw, slumped against the wall. The next thing she noticed was her name being called, though she could barely make it out over the ringing in her ears. She slowly peeled her eyes open, squinting through the dim light.

"Ali." She turned her head in the direction of the voice. The movement made everything ache and she groaned in pain.

"Dean?" she croaked, her voice hoarse. The eldest Winchester was seated on a metal bench across the barn-like room, his hands also tied around his back so he couldn't move. "What happened?"

"He jumped us outside the motel," Dean replied and she vaguely remembered someone clocking her in the back of the head, knocking her out cold. Her hair felt wet and sticky at the back and she thought it was likely she had a concussion.

"Where's Sam?" she asked, the fact that the younger Winchester wasn't in sight making her panic.

"He's gonna come get us, okay?" he said, his voice hopeful and determined. She instantly regretted getting mad at him earlier. Maybe if she'd stayed in the motel room they would have been find. If she hadn't gotten pissed at him he wouldn't've left. "We're getting outta here, Ali, don't you worry," he reassured her again and Ali thought it was more for his own benefit than hers.

"Okay," she replied quietly, her head falling back against the wall as she let her eyes fall shut. She felt so exhausted, like all her energy had drained away. She knew it wouldn't be a good idea to let herself fall asleep but she wasn't sure she would be able to help it.

"Stay awake, Ali," Dean barked, but she knew it was only because he cared. She reluctantly pulled her head away from the wall and looked over at him. He stared back at her, trying to let her know everything would be okay.

Suddenly, she remembered about the small blade she had put in her boot back at the motel. Slowly she moved into a kneeling position, straining to grab the little knife. The ropes cut more and more into the writs but she carried on through the pain. She felt the tips of her fingers against the cool metal and managed to get a grip so she could pull it out, slicing through the ropes that bound her wrists.

She quietly but hurriedly approached Dean, the blade clutched tightly in her fist. She knew without a doubt that it wasn't a lethal enough weapon for a vampire but it was better than nothing. As she reached Dean she fiddled with the ropes at his wrists as he tried to hurry her up.

"Ali! Behind you!" Dean suddenly yelled causing her to whip her head around. All she saw was a dark figure moving impossibly fast before she was thrown to the ground, her head cracking on the concrete causing her vision to blur.

Dean watched as Ali's limp body crumpled onto the hard floor. She groaned loudly and Dean couldn't help but feel a sense of relief that she was still alive. He watched in horror as the vampire grabbed her by the neck and roughly shoved her against the wall. He could see her gritting her teeth through the pain, trying to stay strong like Bobby had taught her to. Like he had taught her.

"Don't you touch her, you son of a bitch!" Dean seethed as he strained against the ropes that bound his wrists. He stared in rage as the monster pressed his face to Ali's hair, no doubt inhaling the scent of her blood that now coated her hair. He knew it was intoxicating to their kind and would send him into a craze of bloodlust that would only end once the monster had sucked every last drop from her lifeless body.

"If you hurt a hair on her head, I swear to god..." Dean threatened. He could barely see Ali's battered form against the wall from the way the vampire was pressing into her but he was sure if he could, he would see her trembling in fear. He knew if they both made it out alive she would likely deny any fear she felt. Ali was like that around him.

The leather-clad vampire leant in, allowing his lips to brush the side of Ali's ear, causing her to shiver away from him. She felt completely terrified but she knew she had to stay strong and not show any weakness if she could help it.

Dean heard the vampire mutter something to the girl but he couldn't make out the words. Whatever it was caused her to whimper quietly.

"Ali, don't listen to him!" Dean yelled, trying to get her attention. "Ali!" Dean screamed, but the girl couldn't seem to hear him. He hated being in this situation. He hated not being able to protect her.

Ali heard Dean shouting her name but she couldn't respond. She was completely frozen as the vampire's lips touched her neck. She held her breath, waiting for the sharp pain of his fangs tearing her skin. Her head fell back as the monster ripped into her jugular. Or was that the carotid artery? She couldn't think to be able to work it out. The pain was so intense at the beginning that she couldn't help but scream, but it was muffled by the sound of Dean shouting her name, followed by a long string of profanity directed at her attacker.

The vampire took no notice of the elder Winchester as he feasted on his meal. He drank deeply, Ali's veins burning as the blood raced to her neck. Now, she didn't scream, she was barely awake. She felt her muscles giving up one by one as the fluid left her body. Soon she would be dead. She knew it. But she was somehow too weak to care.

Dean watched in horror as Ali stopped struggling against the vampire's hold, her body going limp. He pulled at the rope tying his wrists. It tore at his skin, gnawing at it until the flesh was raw. Still, he carried on struggling. Her head fell back under its unsupported weight and Dean could see the nauseating amount of blood coating her neck.

Without warning, a figure sprinted from the darkness and slammed into the vampire, sending both of them to the floor. Ali's body slid down the wall with a soft thump. She slumped over, mostly unaware of Sam who had come to her and Dean's rescue. She tried to think, to move her limbs to help the brothers, but she couldn't. She felt drunk, but not in the fun, tell everyone you love them kind of way. It was way when you've had way too many and your arms feel so heavy you can't move them. It was the way you felt when you were about to vomit.

Sam battled with the monster, trying to get a good enough angle to slice his blade through its neck. The vampire was stronger than he expected, having gained strength from his meal. Sam grimaced as the vampire licked his lips, his tongue lapping up the blood running down his chin. Ali's blood. He hadn't checked that she was okay, too focused in killing the monster first.

As they brawled, Sam somehow managed to get the upper hand and grabbed his machete where it had clattered to the floor. But before he had a chance to chop Leather Jacket's head off, he headbutted him in the chest, causing Sam to release the blade. The vampire's hand clasped around Sam's neck, choking him until he was gasping for breath before throwing him to the ground. His unconscious form landed a few feet from where Dean was still straining against his ropes.

"Sam!" he yelled at the sight of his brother laying on the ground. "Sammy, wake up."

"You killed Chloe," the vampire said in a low voice as he approached Dean. He swallowed.

"You mean that redheaded bitch?" Dean spat.

"She was my wife! And you murdered her!" the vampire yelled at Dean. Ali couldn't see the monster's face but she knew his eyes would be filled with anger and grief. It was strange but in a way, she almost understood him. He was out for revenge just like Sam and Dean were. Just like she was.

"She was a vampire!" Dean spat in disgust. "If you want revenge, just go ahead," Dean said from his position still tied to the bench. He had to do something to save the people he cared about. "Kill me!"

"I'm not going to kill you, Dean." The vampire said his name like it was acid on his tongue. "That would be too easy. First, I'm gonna kill her," he said, pointing in Ali's direction. "I'm gonna make her scream your name with her last breath whilst you watch, powerless to help her." At his words, Dean let out an almost animalistic growl. "And then," he started, walking over to Sam who was lying on the ground, "I'm going to feed your brother my blood until he's just like me."

Ali stared in horror as he said those words. He was close to the unconscious Sam now, too close. He could kill him in a second and there would be nothing her or Dean could do.

"I'm going to turn your little Sammy into a monster, and then you'll be forced to kill him." He ended his speech with a crazed laugh that was so deranged it put her teeth on edge.

"No," she said weakly, her voice hoarse. Dean didn't seem to have heard her protest, his attention focused on his brother. He breathed heavily, writhing against the ropes to get free. It was no use. He knew he could to nothing to stop the carnage that was about to ensue.

Ali tried to sit up, her muscles so weak that it felt like she was moving through caramel. She was so tired she couldn't even feel the pain the vampire had inflicted on her. She slumped onto the group and tried to drag herself across the concrete. It hurt. Everything hurt. But she tried to push the pain away, her mind focused solely on the machete that lay a few yards from her.

The vampire moved, his razor-sharp teeth sinking into his own arm, tearing the flesh away until his crimson blood ran over his skin. Ali could see what he was about to do but she couldn't let it happen. Not to Sam.

She crawled closer to the machete and reached her hand out, her fingers curling around the handle. She pulled it towards her as she took a deep breath, her eyes glancing up. Dean was shouting for Sam to wake up. The vampire's eyes were transfixed on Sam. Ali noticed his eyes start to flicker open but he didn't have the energy to move away. He was too disorientated after the blow to his head.

This was Ali's chance. She breathed deeply, readying herself and trying to build up enough strength so she could stand. She had lost a lot of blood and she could still feel the warm liquid pulsing from her neck. She knew she should be applying pressure to the wound, but she needed to remain focused. With a surge of adrenalin, the only thing keeping her from passing out, she pushed herself to her feet, using the machete as leverage. She wobbled on her feet, her eyes glued to the vampire as it leant over Sam. Sam was becoming more and more aware of what was going on and he began to shuffle back away from the monster. Ali saw her window of opportunity closing and with a shout, she ran at the vampire with as much power she could muster, wielding the blade in both hands.

It all seemed to happen in slow motion. She raised the machete and swung it at the vampire from behind, the blade slashing clean through his neck. Blood spurted across her face as it's body fell to the floor, a fair amount of it also covering Sam who lay stupefied beneath her. She released a shaky breath when it was done, dropping the machete to the floor as she stared at the severed head. Her breathing was heavy and she felt delirious. She could here Dean trying to speak to her as she stood but she couldn't make out the words. It felt like her ears had been stuffed full of cotton wool. As Sam scrambled to his feet and went to untie Dean, black spots started to appear in Ali's vision. She was so tired.

"Woah, whoa," Sam said as Ali slumped over. He caught her arm as her legs gave way. "Ali, can you hear me?"

"Is she okay?" Dean asked as he pulled his wrists free from the rope.

"She's lost a lot of blood," Sam replied, ripping off a piece of his shirt and pressing it against her neck.

"Hey, kiddo?" Dean called as he snapped his fingers in front of her face. "You with me?" Dean took over from Sam and kept the pressure on her neck. Sam went to get the body and drag it to the car so they could bury it. They needed to leave the warehouse as soon as possible. Ali groaned in pain. She felt groggy and sleepy. All she wanted was to go to bed.

"I hate vampires," she croaked out. Dean released a relieved chuckle at the sound of her voice. She would be okay.

"Yeah me to," he said with a small smile. "Can you walk?" She nodded.

"Yeah," Ali replied. Dean guided her up to a standing position and released his grip. As soon as his hand had left her waist her knees started to give way and Dean had to support her again.

"You're a bad liar," he said as he stopped her from falling. She pouted at him.

"No, I'm just bad at lying to you," she said, her speech slurred.

"Right," he said. She tried to pull away from him to prove she could walk herself but ended up stumbling. Dean rolled his eyes and put an arm around her waist. "Upsy-daisy," he mumbled under his breath as he picked her, placing an arm under her back and knees.

"You don't have to carry me, I'm not a damsel in distress," she mumbled as she leant her head against his shoulder, fighting to keep herself awake.

"Keep telling yourself that," he chuckled as he walked to the car. Sam slammed the trunk shut and sent Dean a look, his eyes asking if she was okay. Dean nodded back.

"Don't mock me, Winchester," she said, lifting her head to look him in the eye as she poked a finger to his chest. "I saved both your asses." Dean rolled his eyes as he caught Sam's eye.

"We know," Dean replied, his voice deep and gravely. Ali sent him a tired smirk.

"And don't you forget it." Sam smiled as he climbed into the passenger seat and watched Dean help Ali into the back. As soon as the door shut she leaned her head against it, her eyelids drifting shut as exhaustion overcame her.

* * *

Dean sat on the queen-sized bed, a bottle of whiskey in his hand. He kicked off his boots but left his jacket on. He looked up as the bathroom door swung open, revealing Ali who had just been in the shower. She was dressed in a pair of sweat pants and a man's t-shirt he didn't recognise. It was probably one of Tyler's. She pulled her blonde hair into a bun and went over to the mirror, examining her wound. She prodded it with her fingers around the edge, wincing when she used too much pressure. Ali usually had a motel room to herself, but Dean had decided he didn't like the idea of her being alone for the rest of the night after losing so much blood.

"Your neck okay?" he asked as she pealed open a band aid and pressed it over the bite mark.

"It's stopped bleeding," she told him. "Sam said he would stich it up in the morning." Dean nodded in response. "Is my head supposed to hurt this much? I'm not gonna turn into a vampire am I?" He snorted, catching her eye in the reflection.

"No, you have to ingest vampire blood for that to happen," he explained even though he knew she was half joking. He debated for a moment in his head, then held out the bottle of whiskey to her. Ali turned around and stared at him.

"Seriously?" she asked. It seemed like only yesterday that Sam had prised the whiskey bottle out of her hand and told her she was too young. Was Dean really offering it to her now? Maybe as a reward?

"Yeah, it'll help with the headache," he prompted, shaking the bottle at her a bit. She raised an eyebrow at his reasoning, sending him a questionable look before taking the bottle and having a large gulp. She cringed at the taste and handed it back to him.

"So… I guess this makes it official," Ali said, a small smirk creeping onto her lips. Dean raised a brow at her, taking a sip of whisky himself.

"What?" he asked. Ali's smirk widened.

"I'm back in the game."

* * *

Ali tossed in her bed as she tried to sleep but all she could think about was the hunt. Although the room was pitch black and they hadn't spoken in a few hours, Ali was sure that Dean was still awake too.

"Dean?" she said softly, rolling onto her back so she was staring at the ceiling.

"Hmm?" Dean responded through the darkness.

"I'm sorry I didn't listen to you," she said, keeping her voice quiet. "I know you were just trying to protect me."

"Don't worry about it," he replied through the dark room. They fell silent again and Ali wasn't sure if Dean had dozed off. There was something else that was bothering her, a question that was swimming around her mind.

"Hey Dean?" she said, getting a grunt in response. He was still awake. "What the vampire said…" she began. "About making Sam like him. If he had succeeded, would you have killed him?"

"What?" Dean asked. He sounded groggy. Ali wondered if he had been asleep after all.

"If Sam had gotten turned into a vampire, would you have killed him?" she asked again.

"Why're you asking me about that, Ali?" he asked tiredly.

"Just curious," Ali mumbled sleepily. "So would you?"

"What's important is that he didn't. Sam's fine," Dean replied, Ali thought a little angrily.

"I know that, but if he had?"

"But he didn't," Dean repeated again. "Go back to sleep."

"But what if he did?" she pushed.

"But he didn't!" Dean said harshly. "Sam's fine, Ali. He's not a vampire, he's not a monster, he's fine. So, quit asking and go back to sleep." Ali didn't say anything in response. She turned over so she was facing away from him, closing her eyes as she tried to get some rest.

Dean turned over too, but he didn't try to fall asleep. He knew he wouldn't be able to. The truth was that Ali's question had been swirling around his mind too. Would he have killed Sam? Would it have been the right thing? All these questions reminded him of what his father had told him before he died. Dean didn't not give Ali and answer because he didn't want her to know what he would do. He didn't give an answer because he didn't have one. The truth was that if Sam went dark side like his father had suggested, Dean didn't have a plan.

* * *

 **AN: This one turned at a bit longer than I had planned, hope you don't mind!**

 **So I'm thinking for Season 2 I'm gonna add in more original storylines/hunts like this one. Does that sound okay? Would love to hear any thoughts you have on the this chapter and the story so far :)**

 **Let me know what you thought, much love x**


	13. Chapter 13 - The Usual Suspects

Ali's arms remained crossed over her chest, her expression a hard, impenetrable mask. The officer eyed her, her stared calculating and quizzical. She wanted nothing more than to know exactly what the blonde teenager before her was thinking.

"You can take a seat," the officer suggested. Ali's eyes flickered to the uncomfortable looking chair behind the metal desk. It didn't look particularly appealing. She remained perfectly still.

"I wanna go," she said, refusing to make eye contact with the policewoman.

"I'm afraid I can't let you go until you start talking."

"I'm talking right now," she quipped with a small smirk. The officer's lips didn't twitch even for a second.

"You didn't have any identification on you when we picked you up from the motel, but we ran your prints," she said, ignoring Ali's comment. Officer Ballard placed her pad of paper on the desk, flicking through the pages to find the information she was looking for. "Allison Venator," she read. "Your name. That's pretty much all we know about you." She picked up the pad and began to pace around the desk, reading allowed the things she had written down. "No school records, no passport, no relatives." Ali shuffled uncomfortably. "The only other record we have is that you filed a missing person's report back in 1999." The officer looked up. "How old were you then?"

"You'd know if you'd read the report," she mumbled, though she knew it was loud enough for the officer to hear. She dropped her pad on the table.

"I know you're a minor," Ballard said seriously. "And you don't have any parents." Ali's teeth gritted together. She didn't like where this conversation was going. "But you've managed to keep out of the system." She thought of Bobby. He'd made sure herself and Tyler didn't end up in care after their parents had died and he'd been even more helpful after her brother had passed away too. He wasn't technically her _legal_ guardian, but that was basically what he was. Just not in the official sense. "How'd you manage that?"

"It's easy not to get tangled up when there aren't any strings," the blonde girl replied, her blue eyes flicking to the officer's.

"No strings?" She raised a brow. "That sounds lonely." Ali snorted quietly.

"I get by." Officer Ballard frowned, her brows knitting together in concern, though Ali was sure she was faking it.

"You don't have any friends? Anyone who looks out for you?" Ali smirked a little in amusement.

"You just arrested both of them." Ali had accompanied both the Winchesters on a hunt in Baltimore, Maryland involving the murder of a lawyer and his wife. Unfortunately, one mishap had led to another and Dean had ended up being caught at the crime scene of the second victim and been arrested. This had resulted in a band of cops raiding the motel room where Sam and Ali had been.

And now, here she was. In an interrogation room. Being interrogated.

"How did you meet the Winchesters?" the officer asked. She was curious at how a young girl could fall into circles with a man like Dean – a man she presumed was a murderer. He'd been linked to several crimes over the last year or so, including several homicides in St Louis. The teenager remained silent. "What exactly is your relationship with them?" Ali almost laughed at what the officer was insinuating.

"Strictly professional," Ali replied a little sarcastically as she bit her lip. She was enjoy watching the officer squirm as she fished for details. "I needed their help. A friend told me where I could find them."

"What kind of help?" the officer asked. Ali could see the cogs turning behind her eyes. They were trying desperately to figure her out, but Ali would never give anything away that she didn't want the officer to know.

"It's a private matter." Ali pushed away from the wall she'd been leaning against and let herself fall into the chair, tucking a leg under herself as she sat. The officer seemed surprised that she'd finally taken the seat, but Ali remained relaxed. Officer Ballard leaned over the desk, her expression feigning concern.

"Miss Venator, you're seventeen years old." Ali wanted to roll her eyes at how patronising she was being. "Dean Winchester is a bad man, and he's – what? – ten years older than you?" Anger boiled a little inside Ali at the mention of Dean. He was one of the most loyal and respected people in her life, and she trusted him without question. "You say he's helping you out, but under what terms? Are they his terms or yours?"

"Are you seriously trying to suggest that I'm with them _against_ my will?" Ali asked incredulously.

"I've seen it before. Kids get taken, they start to rely on their capture and soon they'll do anything they want," she explained. "If that's what's going on here, we can help. There are people you can talk to." Ali didn't supress her snort of amusement as she leaned over the table, her elbows resting on the metal.

"If you're looking for a case of Stockholm syndrome, your barking up the wrong tree," Ali told her. "The only person holding me against my will is you." With that, Ali stood up, walking back over to her wall and crossing her arms over her chest once again.

"I can see behind that carefully constructed mask that you're afraid." Ali looked over to the officer who was folding up her pad of paper. She stopped when she felt the blonde girl's eyes on her and looked up. "If what you say about the Winchesters is true, what exactly are you so scared of, Miss Venator?" Ali was left lost for words at the sudden unexpected turn in the conversation and she had to force herself to keep her mask in place.

"I'm not afraid of anything," she replied bitterly. She was met with a blank stare, the Officer clearly not buying anything she was saying. Ali sighed. "I'm done talking," she said, heading for the door. "Can I go now?" The officer cleared her throat. She reluctantly turned around.

"No," she said simply. "I'm sure my colleague would like to speak with you." Ali narrowed her eyes at the officer.

"You can't hold me here," she argued.

"Actually, I can, for up to forty-eight hours," Officer Ballard explained. Ali scowled.

"What happens after that?" she asked with a raised brow.

"Then I call social services."

* * *

The blonde teen huffed in irritation as she rattled the door handle. As she had expected, it wouldn't open, causing her saunter back over to the table in the centre of the questioning room and take a seat at it. She was itching to have a breath of fresh air, the walls of the police station feeling like they were closing in on her with every second. It was only when she found herself locked in a room that Ali realised she might just be a little claustrophobic.

The day had really not gone as she had expected. The case of the dead defence lawyer hadn't been much of a head scratcher at the start, the three of them pretty sure it was a vengeful spirit. But now, Ali wasn't so sure. She hadn't seen Dean since he had left to check on the victim's wife, but she knew he and Sam had a carefully constructed plan for these kinds of situations. They always had a neat little story to tell the cops, and Ali's job was just to keep quiet.

But this was a different matter. This wasn't just a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Ali knew Dean had been suspected of murdering a woman back in St Louis the previous year, along with several other convictions that would surely see him behind bars. Ali knew Dean was good with words, but she wasn't sure how he was going to talk his way out of this one.

Ali's fingers drummed on the table as she thought of her next move. The last few hunts hadn't gone too badly, and after what happened with the vampires, Dean seemed more and more accepting of the idea of Ali coming along. She had noticed something up with him though and she was sure it wasn't only the grief of losing his father that was hanging over him. She had overheard the Winchesters talking in the motel room a few weeks ago when they'd thought she was asleep.

 _"_ _Dad's dead because of me and that much I do know,"_ Dean had said. Ali didn't catch the rest of the conversation; the brothers had tried to whisper as much as possible. All she knew was that whatever had happened to John Winchester, Dean felt incredibly guilty about it.

The opening of the heavy door made Ali look up from where she had been resting her head on the table. She'd been expecting a man in uniform to enter, the colleague Officer Ballard had been taling about, but instead, a man wearing a brown suit made his way through the door, a brief case in his hand. Ali eyed him with scrutiny.

"Who the hell are you?" she asked boredly. The man looked a little nervous at coming face to face with her glare. Something about that made Ali a little happy.

"I'm Mr Winchester's defence lawyer," the man said with a small friendly smile as if he were talking to a small frightened child. Ali ignored his irritating tone, instead scoffing at his choice of words. She'd never heard anyone refer to Dean as _Mr Winchester_.

"Dean doesn't need a defence lawyer," she said evenly. "He didn't do anything wrong." She saw it flash across his expression. _Pity_. Like she was a naïve little girl. Ali couldn't remember a time she had ever been naïve.

"Yes, well even so…" he trailed off. They fell silent for a moment before Ali raised an expectant eyebrow at him.

"Did you want something?" she asked. He looked away quickly, bringing something from his jacket pocket.

"Dean wanted me to give you this," he said, handing her a small piece of paper. Ali stood up and took the note eagerly, frowning when she saw only a small amount of writing on it.

 _Elvis has left the building._

\- _F. Morris_

Ali rolled her eyes, remembering when Sam and Dean had talked her through all the code words and names they used for emergencies.

"I hope that's meaningful," the lawyer said. Ali smirked. She knew what she had to do.

* * *

The night had started to close in as Ali walked down the motel corridor. It hadn't taken her long to find the first one listed in the yellow pages and after asking for Jim Rockford at the check in desk, she knew exactly where to go.

Her fist banged on the door when she reached the right one, but there was no answer, so she tried the handle, causing the door to swing open. Ali stepped inside the motel room, her brow furrowed when there was no sign of the younger Winchester. She remembered Dean's note; _Sam should be here._

"Ali." The voice behind her almost made her scream and she whirled around, coming face to face with the man in question. He must've been hiding behind the door to pounce on whoever entered in case they weren't welcome.

"Sam," Ali breathed as she held a hand to her chest.

"Sorry," Sam replied, realising that he must've scared her. "You alright?" Ali nodded, dragging a hand through her tangled blonde hair. It fell messily over her shoulders so she tied it up into a messy bun. "How'd you get out?"

"The window," Ali replied. "You?"

"Same."

"What're we gonna do about Dean?" she asked, a little worried. Sam shook his head.

"It's not the first time he's been in jail," he replied. "He can handle himself." Ali thought that was entirely true. "But he wants us to carry on with the case." Sam held up a piece of paper that had a few sentences written in Dean's messy scrawl.

"Ashland," Ali read. "He says it's a street?" Sam nodded.

"Yeah." This was good. They had more of a lead now. It seemed that at every murder so far, the words _Dana Shulps_ had cropped up, leading the Winchesters to believe that it had something to do with whatever was killing these people. Dean had figured it out. It was in fact an anagram of a street name.

"So are we gonna go-." Ali was cut off by the sound of someone else knocking on the door. The pairs' heads snapped towards the door as the knocking continued. Sam held a finger to his lips, telling Ali to keep quiet as he approached the door. He hesitated for a moment before pulling the door open.

Officer Ballard stood nervously behind the door, her eyes shifting from a confused Sam over to a glaring Ali. After a moment of awkward silence, Sam stepped aside, allowing her in. She explained that she had seen the ghost of a woman in the bathroom at the station, and right after, rings of bruises had showed up on her wrists. Dean had sent her for protection.

"This spirit," Sam started after examining the abrasions. "What did it look like?" The officer shifted nervously.

"She was, um, really pale, and her throat was cut, and her eyes, they were like, this deep dark red?" She took a breath as she tried to remember as much as possible. "It appeared like she was trying to talk to me. But she couldn't. It was just... a lot of blood." Sam nodded.

"I've been researching every girl that's ever died or gone missing from Ashland Street," he explained, leading Officer Ballard over to the table. Ali followed them over too, keeping a wary eye on the officer. "I need you to look through these," he said, handing her a stack of photographs of women. "Tell me if you recognize anyone." Ali watched as Ballard flipped through the papers, stopping on one of a young woman.

"This is her. I'm sure of it," Officer Ballard replied. Ali grabbed the photo from her, reading the notes Sam had made on the back.

"Claire Becker?" she read. "Twenty-eight years old, disappeared about eight or nine months ago."

"But I don't even know her. I mean, why would she come after me?" she asked, her gaze flickering between Ali and Sam.

"Well, before her death, she was arrested twice. For dealing heroin," Ali read, looking up from the notes to raise a brow at the officer. "You ever work narcotics?" Ballard paused a moment, raising her brow back at the teenager who seemed too comfortable with asking these kinds of questions. The idea of a spirit who was killing people didn't even seem to faze her.

"Yeah, Pete and I did," she replied finally. Pete must've been her partner. "Before Homicide."

"You ever bust her?" Sam asked.

"Not that I remember."

"She was last seen entering 2911 Ashland Street. Police searched the place, didn't find anything," Sam continued.

"We should check it out," Ali suggested, her words now directed to Sam. "See if we can find her body." Sam nodded.

"What?" Officer Ballard asked as Sam and Ali began to grab their stuff to get ready to leave.

"We've gotta salt and burn her bones," Sam said grimly. "It's the only way to put her spirit to rest."

* * *

"She doesn't like me," Ali said with a frown as she followed Sam through the dark warehouse. They had headed to the address on Ashland Street and come across the old supply store. Now, they'd split up, leaving Officer Ballard to check downstairs whilst Sam and Ali searched upstairs. The younger Winchester smiled a little at the girl's remark.

"Cops and hunters are never great friends anyways," he replied.

"Why?" Ali asked. "Because we don't play by the rules?" Sam shook his head.

"She's just worried about you, Ali," he explained as they crept further into the creepy warehouse. "She thinks you're on the road with two insane people."

"I think she might be right," she muttered. Sam laughed at that. "So what exactly are we looking for?"

"I'll let you know when we find it," Sam replied. Suddenly there was a shout from bellow.

"Sam!" It was Officer Ballard. Sam whipped around, thrusting an iron pole into Ali's grip and running downstairs, beaconing for the younger girl to follow him.

"Hey, I'm here, what is it?" Sam asked when they reached the officer. She looked terrified. _Like she'd seen a ghost._ "What happened?"

"Claire, she was here," the officer said.

"Did she attack you?" Ali asked, growing a little worried. She held the iron pole tightly in her grip.

"No, she was just like, reaching out to me," Ballard explained. "She was over there by the window." Ali watched as Sam made his way over to the window, showing the shelves aside to reveal a pane of glass where the light was streaming in. The words _Ashland Supplies_ was pasted on the outside, casting a shadow of the word on the opposite wall. Sam pulled out his EMF reader and approached the opposite wall, holding the device up to the shadows.

"What is that?" Ballard asked, staring at the contraption with a furrowed brow.

"Spirits and certain remains give off electromagnetic frequencies," Ali explained. "If Claire's body is here, we'll know." As Sam brought it closer to the wall, it started to buzz, the sound growing louder the closer it got.

"Ali, hand me that pole," Sam asked, reaching out a hand to take it. Ali gave it to him and watched as he began to smash a hole in the wall. Once he had knocked out a big enough hole, he held his flashlight to it so he could look inside. "Yeah, there's definitely something in there."

The blonde girl helped Sam pull what looked like the remains of a person wrapped in a carpet out of the wall cavity and lay it on the ground.

"This is weird, right?" Ali muttered to Sam as they stood up and brushed themselves off. Sam nodded grimly.

"Yeah, I know."

"What's weird?" Ballard asked. Sam sighed.

"I mean, no vengeful spirit I've ever tussled with wanted to be wasted, so why the hell would Claire lead us to her remains?" he said. That was exactly what Ali had been wondering. "It doesn't make any sense."

Ali pulled out her silver knife from her boot and used it to put the ropes that tied the thin carpet together. As Sam pulled back the fabric over the corpses face, she grimaced at the sight. What was left of the woman was just bone, the flesh having decayed away over the time she had been left, undiscovered.

"Her wrists," Sam said, gesturing to the way they were cuffed together. "They'd be bruised just like yours." Ali and Sam watched as Officer Ballard bent down, her hands fingering the pendent that hung around Claire's neck.

"That necklace mean something to you?" Sam asked curiously.

"I've seen it before," she explained. "It's rare. It was custom made over on Carson street." Ali raised a brow, wondering how she could know this. Then she watched as Ballard reached into her neckline and brought out an identical necklace. "I have one just like it," she said. "Pete gave it to me."

"Oh my God," Sam said, running a hand through his messy hair as if everything suddenly made sense. "Claire's not a vengeful spirit," he explained. Ali raised a brow at him. "She's a death omen."

"Excuse me?" Ballard asked.

"Claire's not killing anyone. She's trying to warn them. You see, sometimes spirits, they don't want vengeance, they want justice," Sam explained. "Which is why she led us here in the first place. She wants us to know who her killer is." Ali thought for a second. She's only ever heard of a death omen once before. She hoped Sam knew what he was talking about. "Detective, how much do you know about your partner?" The officer's eyes widened as if she just had a revelation.

"About a year ago, some heroin went missing from lockup. Obviously, it was a cop. We never found out who did it. But whoever did it would need someone to fence their product," she explained. Ali sighed, now understanding exactly what was going on.

"Somebody like Claire."

* * *

It was night by the time the three were on the road. Sam sat in passenger seat as Officer Ballard drove, Ali in the backseat as usual. It had taken some convincing from Sam to get the officer to agree to let Ali come along with them, but after much negotiation, it had been clear that the teen was not taking no for an answer.

"What is it?" Ali asked nervously as Ballard finished a call on her cell.

"Pete just left the precinct. With Dean," she relayed.

"What?" Sam asked. Ali clenched a fist around the seat in front of her. She didn't like the idea of Dean being alone with what they now knew was a murderer.

"He said the prisoner had to be transferred, and he just took him," Officer Ballard explained. "Dispatch has been calling but he won't answer the radio."

"Radio? He took a county vehicle?"

"Yeah."

"Well, then they should have a lo-jack, you've just gotta get it turned on."

* * *

Sam looked a little pissed as the pair followed Officer Ballard through the woods. He'd wanted Ali to wait in the car, but knowing how stubborn she was, he should have guessed she would completely ignore him. He knew Dean probably wouldn't like it easy. There was no way of knowing how the next few minutes were going to play out, but Sam feared it could get messy.

"Pete! Put the gun down," Sam and Ali heard up ahead, causing them to pick up the pace through the darkness. As they approached and caught sight of the other officer, Sheridan, holding a gun to Dean's head who was kneeling on the ground, Ali hung back at Sam's request, though still edged forward through the dirt. "I know about Claire."

They two officers continued to talk, the conversation emotionally charged, causing Ali to believe something must've been going on between them. If the necklace Ballard had been given by Sheridan wasn't enough evidence, _this_ certainly was.

"It wasn't my fault," Sheridan protested. "Claire was trying to turn me in, I had no choice."

"And Tony? Karen?" Officer Ballard questioned, her own gun pointed at her partner.

"Same thing!" he yelled back. "Tony scrubbed the money, he got skittish, and then he wanted to come clean. I'm sure he told Karen everything." Ali's eyes were fixed on Dean all the while, hoping they would all make it out of this confrontation alive. He caught her eye and bit his lip, obviously annoyed that she was there and in potential danger. Ali stared back at him, her gaze shifting between him and the gun aimed at his head. Dean shook his head at her.

"How many more people are gonna die over this, Pete?" Ballard asked.

"There's a way out," he said. "This Dean kid's a friggin' gift. We could pin the whole thing on him. Right? No trial, nothing. Just, just one more dead scumbag."

"Hey!" Ali yelled in anger as she took a step forward, only for Sam to hold an arm out, gently but forcefully pushing her back.

"No one will question it," he continued. "Diana, please. I still love you." Ali watched in horror as Officer Ballard lowered her gun, her teeth gritting together. "Thank you," he said, turning to Dean as he pressed the gun to the back of his head.

Suddenly, a shot ran through the air, a for a moment, Ali's breathing hitched in her throat, before Sheridan fell to the ground with a groan of pain. Dean rolled out of the way and, sensing the danger had been eradicated, Ali ran to him.

"Hey, are you okay?" she asked when she reached him, grabbing his shoulders to help him up. Dean sent her a half smile as he took a deep breath.

"I've been better," he joked. Suddenly, Sheridan tackled Officer Ballard to the ground; despite the gunshot wound, he was still able to pulled her off her feet, causing her to drop her weapon.

"Get down," Dean muttered to Ali, quiet for authoritative. Dean crouched to his knees and Ali followed as Sheridan grabbed the weapon from the ground and pointed it to his partner.

But as he stared at her, she only looked past him, her eyes fixing on a ghostly figure that had just materialised behind him. It was Claire. Sheridan turned around, coming face to face with the death omen, his terror distracting him enough for Ballard to grab the gun from his hand and shoot him in the back. He fell to the ground in a crumpled heap.

* * *

Come the next evening, Ali and the Winchester brothers were already out of the state, as instructed by Officer Ballard who had let them go. Since Sheridan was dead, they concluded that Claire would be at peace, meaning the case was over and they could lead. She'd said she could get their cases dismissed for them, but she had no guarantees about the old case back in St Louis. They'd agreed that they were all free to walk away and that she would tell the rest of her team that the suspects escaped. They'd all been very grateful for her help, but they'd needed to leave right away. The cops would still be after them.

Now, the three of them were hauled up in a motel room. There'd only been one spare so Sam had agreed to sleep on the couch for the night. As he lay in the dimly lit room, her found his thoughts drifting to the two others in the room.

First, he thought about Dean. His big brother. The guy that had always looked out for him. He knew something was going on with him, he'd known for a while. And it wasn't just the guilt he felt over their father's deaths that seemed to be bothering him.

Next, the younger Winchester's thoughts drifted to the girl in the other queen-sized bed. He and Dean had met her roughly eight months ago, when she had sort them out for help with a hunt. From there, it seemed he and his brother's mutual attachment to her had grown. Even so, Sam still found Allison Venator to be somewhat of a mystery.

Sam didn't know much about her parents even. He wasn't sure Dean knew much about the hunters either. All they really knew was that they had died when Ali was very young and that, from the fact that she rarely mentioned them, it was hard for her to talk about.

Sam understood that. From watching Dean deal with their father's death mostly. He didn't want to talk about it and if Ali was anything like Dean, which Sam had come to think she was, they reacted in a similar way to grief. However, it had been a long time since Ali had lost her parents so Sam wondered how she would react if he ever brought them up.

He'd always thought it strange though. Ali talked about Tyler fairly often. He could see o her eyes whenever she mentioned her brother that hid death caused her pain. But she still spoke of him. It was almost like that was her way of keeping him alive – of holding onto his memory for as long as she could. Sam wondered why she didn't speak of her parents in the same was. Maybe it was because she had been so much younger when they had passed.

As he lay in the silent dimness of the motel room, the younger Winchester recalled the only time he'd ever heard Bobby talk about Ali's parents. Sam had caught him in his study, the older hunter's eyed fixed on photograph of Ali and her brother. It was the same one Ali carried with her.

 _"_ _Cute kids, huh?"_ Bobby had said when he'd noticed Sam's presence. Sam, who had been lingering at the door, stepper into the compact room, his gaze on the older man. It was clear how much the two kids in the photo meant to the hunter. As he regarded the young boy in the picture, Sam could see the pain in Bobby's eyes.

 _"_ _You can tell their related,"_ Sam had said softly, causing a small smile to form on Bobby's lips. They both had the same fair hair, along with the sapphire blue eyes.

 _"_ _They get that from their dad,"_ Bobby had said as if reading Sam's thoughts. _"_ _The guy must've been a real heart breaker."_ The younger Winchester laughed at that.

 _"_ _What was he like?"_ Sam had asked, growing more interested as the conversation went on. This was the first real time anyone had mentioned either of Ali's parents.

 _"_ _He was smart, and a damn good hunter."_ Sam could see something light up in the older man's eyes as he spoke of his fallen friend. _"_ _I mean, sure, he could get too caught up in the job sometimes, but what hunter doesn't?"_ Sam had to agree with that. _"_ _And he loved his family – a lot like your father in that respect. But he had this way about him,"_ Bobby continued. _"_ _He always seemed calm like he had everything under control. In all the years I knew him, I don't think I ever saw him lose his temper at anyone."_

 _"_ _Wow,"_ Sam had said, a little surprised. _"_ _Knowing Ali, I never would've thought her Dad would be like that."_ Bobby let out a bard of laughter.

 _"_ _Yeah well, that attitude of Al's?"_ Sam nodded. _"_ _That's all her mother."_

Sam couldn't help but smile as he remembered Bobby's words about Ali's parents. He'd found himself conjuring up images of their family when it was the four of them: mother and father with their fair-haired, blue-eye son and daughter. Sam bet that for a time, they'd seemed like the perfect family. That was, until, something had torn them apart, leaving Ali as the only one left.

The younger Winchester looked up from the couch at the sound of the bed creaking. The blonde teen moved under the covers, indicating that she'd not fallen asleep yet. Sam turned his attention to Dean who was sleeping soundlessly.

"Can't sleep?" a voice whispered from under Ali's duvet. The girl rolled onto her back and sat up, propping herself up on her hands. Sam's eyes snapped back to her. She must've noticed him.

"No, I was just…" he trailed off as he matched her hushed volume, trying to wake Dean. He knew his brother needed his rest.

"How's the couch?" Ali asked, pushing the covers off of her and turning 180 degrees so her head was at the foot of the bed, nearer to Sam. She turned onto her back so she was staring at the ceiling, though she'd still be able to hear the younger Winchester if he wanted to talk. She could sense that something was on his mind.

"I've slept on worse." Ali let out a breath of laughter. The was a moment of silence and Ali thought she might've been wrong about Sam wanting to talk. But then she heard him clear his throat. "Can I ask you something?" Ali pulled the covers over her in her new position, her vision drawing imaginary lines on the ceiling, something she was sure Sam was doing too.

"Shoot," she replied. Sam took a breath, remembering Bobby's words: _he loved his family – a lot like your father in that respect._

"How'd your parents die?" The question was quiet and was met with a stony silence. Sam thought for a second he might have stepped over the line, and he quickly apologised.

"No, it's okay" Ali said when he said sorry. "I just wasn't expecting it." She bit her lip, her eyes falling shut. "They were killed in a car crash." When Sam didn't say anything, Ali took it as a cue to carry on. "It was stupid really. A waste. But these things happen."

"Were you...?" Sam trailed off.

"No. But Tyler was. He saw the whole thing," she explained. The way she spoke made it sound like she was far away, lost in the memories of her childhood. But also her choice of words: _he saw the whole thing._ To Sam it made it sound like he was merely a spectator.

"I'm sorry," Sam said as he stared at the greying ceiling tiles.

"It was a long time ago," Ali whispered, as if that somehow meant Sam didn't need to show her empathy.

"I'm still sorry," he said. Ali shifted on the mattress to get into a more comfortable position.

"I know," she replied. "I'm sorry too. About John." Sam felt grief twist in his stomach. "I know you had your differences, but you loved him. I think he'd be proud of you."

Sam considered Ali's words. Sometimes, he couldn't believe that she was only seventeen years old. She had seen so much in her short number of years, much like he and Dean had. Then he considered her parents. They were hunters, great ones at that. Every hunter who was worth anything had heard of the Venators, and now that they were mostly gone, it was up to Ali to carry on what was left of her family's legacy. And from what Sam had seen of the younger hunter so far, Ali was doing a pretty good job.

So, instead of offering more words of comfort or probing her for more information about her family, he said the one thing he hoped would give her strength to keep fighting: "I think you parents would be proud of you too."

* * *

 **AN: Finally I updated this! Sorry its been a while but I've been super busy recently. Will try to update this as often as possible.**

 **Hope you liked this chapter where you get to see a little more into Ali's family/past. Much more to come!**

 **Let me know what you thought, much love x**


	14. Chapter 14 - Croatoan

As soon as Ali heard the first gun shot, she knew it wouldn't be a normal day. She was out of the Impala and kicking the front door of the house down before she had time to think about what she might be confronting on the inside. Ever since Sam had pointed out the word _Croatoan_ carved ominously into a tree that morning, she'd known something bad was happening in this town, not to mention the reason they were there was because Sam had a vision of Dean killing someone in this town. All her instincts were telling her to flee, but she wasn't a coward. She was a hunter.

"Dean!" she yelled as she entered the living room. The elder Winchester pulled at the ropes tying a dishevelled looking woman to a chair, her watering eyes fixed on a man's body lying on the floor.

"Help me with this, would you?" he asked, stepping away so he could get a better look at the woman's husband who he had just shot dead. Ali pulled her silver knife from her boot and used it to free the woman's wrists before grabbing a towel from the counter and pressing it to her wound. It was bloody and looked gross, but as Ali took a closer look, she didn't think it seemed too deep.

"What happened?" she asked, keeping pressure on the woman's shoulder as she looked around, spotting Sam by the window.

"The husband and the son," Dean started, checking over the man lying dead on the floor. "They attacked her." Ali raised a confused brow at the elder Winchester as the woman whimpered. The blonde girl rubbed her hand over the frightened woman's back, hoping it would be comforting.

"He got away," Sam informed his brother as he made his way over from the window. He must've been referring to the son. Dean huffed, running his fingers through his hair.

"Okay, Ali can you take Mrs Tanner outside, she needs to get her shoulder stitched," he instructed. Ali nodded, helping the woman to her feet and leading her outside. She pulled open the door and helped her to slide into the back seat of the Impala. Not before long, Sam and Dean emerged from the house carrying what Ali assumed was Mr Tanner wrapped in a sheet. The put his body in the trunk before climbing into the Impala and speeding away.

* * *

Sam was the first out of the Impala when they reached the doctor's clinic. He quickly helped Mrs Tanner out of the car and rushed her inside as Ali and Dean climbed out of the car. Dean went straight to the trunk, taking a look around to see if anyone was watching before pulling it open.

"Something's happening here," Ali said as she stood next to Dean, both of their eyes trained on the body.

"I know," Dean said grimly, his fingers drumming on the trunk as he held it open.

"You want a hand?" she asked, grimacing at the spot on the sheet where the blood had started to soak through. Dean's face mimicked hers.

"I got it," he replied and Ali nodded, a little thankful. She held the trunk open as Dean hoisted the body over his shoulder and they headed inside. They were met with the surprised face of a woman who looked like a doctor.

"Is that…?" she asked, eyeing Dean wearily. Ali hung back, not wanting to get involved in this discussion.

"Mr Tanner?" Dean asked.

"Was he attacked too?" the doctor asked.

"Uh…no, actually, he did the attacking and then he got himself shot," Dean replied. The doctor didn't have to asked who by.

"And who are you?" she asked, clearly suspicious of Dean.

"U.S. Marshal," Dean replied. "I'd show you my badge, but uh..." He trailed off, gesturing to the body that resting on his shoulders. The doctor nodded in understanding before her gaze shifted to the blonde girl standing by the door.

"Who's she?" she asked. Ali was clearly too young to be another Marshal. She shifted uncomfortably under the doctor's gaze. She hadn't prepared a story.

"Work experience," she blurted out, fixing a small smile on her face that she hoped was convincing. She could practically feel Dean rolling his eyes. "First day." The doctor nodded slowly, but seemed to believe it.

"Well, I guess you've seen that it can be a pretty gruelling job," she commented. The look on her face was like she expected Ali to start crying or something at any moment. _Poor girl. Having to witness something like this at such a young age._

"You have no idea," Ali muttered under her breath.

"Hate to interrupt but, uh…" Dean cut in, his arms tightening around the body to keep it from slipping off his shoulder.

"Right, sorry," the doctor said, opening a door on the right and gesturing through it. "Bring him back here."

* * *

Ali stood in the foyer with the Winchester brothers as the spoke in hushed voices, though she wasn't really paying attention to anything they'd said. All that was swirling around her head was something Mrs Tanner had said earlier when Dr Lee was checking her over.

 _One minute they were my husband and my son. And the next, they had the devil in them._

Ali hadn't said a thing since hearing those words. She'd been frozen in a state of terror, the words resonating deep inside of her. She understood now why all day she'd wanted to do nothing else but run. She'd wanted out of the town from the second they'd arrived. The only problem was that Sam and Dean wouldn't agree. They wouldn't want to leave until whatever was going on in the town was over. Ali just hoped there wouldn't be any more casualties in the process.

"Ali?" Dean barked in irritation. Ali looked up at his questioning face. "You go anything to add to this discussion?" She shook her head. Dean stayed staring at her for a moment before turning back to his brother. Something was up with her, but he had more important things to worry about.

"I don't know, man," Sam said. "We didn't see any of the demon smoke with Mr Tanner, or any of the other usual signs."

"Something turned him into a monster," Dean said. "And you know if you would've taken out the other one there'd be one less to worry about."

"I hesitated, Dean," Sam replied, a little exasperated. "It was a kid!"

"No, it was an _it_ ," Dean corrected harshly. "Not the best time for a bleeding heart, Sam." The conversation was interrupted by Dr Lee striding out of the examination room, her heels clicking on the tiled floor.

"How's the patient?" Sam asked nervously. The doctor sighed harshly.

"Terrible!" she exclaimed. "What the hell happened out there?"

"We don't know," Dean told her truthfully. Neither him nor Sam had a clue what was going on.

"Yeah? Well, you just killed my next-door neighbour," she said sadly. Ali dropped her gaze. Whatever was going on, it still couldn't have been easy for Dean to shoot someone dead.

"We didn't have a choice," the elder Winchester replied, echoing Ali's thoughts. She knew what it meant to not have a choice.

"Maybe so, but we need the county Sheriff," Dr Lee said, looking between the brothers. It was clear she was exhausted. "I need the coroner."

"Phones are down," Ali said. The doctor cast her a look before her eyes shifted back to Sam.

"I know, I tried," she said tiredly. "Tell me you have a police radio in the car?"

"Yeah we do" Sam replied. "But it crapped out just like everything else." Great. Ali was starting to feel an all-encompassing sense of impending doom.

"How far is it to the next town?" Dean asked.

"It's about forty miles down to Sidewinder," Dr Lee informed him. Dean nodded.

"All right," he said. "I'm gonna go down there, see if I can find some help." He turned to Sam, giving him a pat on the back as he continued to talk to the doctor. "I'll take Ali. My partner will stick around, keep you guys safe."

"Safe from what?" she asked. Dean bit his lip.

"We'll get back to you on that." He grabbed his gun and put it back into its holster before turning to Ali. "You're with me, kiddo."

* * *

Ali stared out of the window, watching the woods race by. Riding shotgun in the Impala was a rarity for her, but she found she couldn't enjoy it. She'd have preferred having to sit in the back seat as this would've meant Sam was in the car with them. She knew it was selfish, but she wished it was all three of them who were driving away from the god-forsaken town in Oregon. All she wanted was for the three of them to be safe from whatever was lurking in the shadows.

"You're quiet," Dean commented as he drove.

"Thought you'd be the last person to complain about that," she replied, keeping her eyes fixed on the trees rushing by. Dean chuckled dryly.

"Is it Sam's vision?" Dean questioned, trying to guess what was bothering the teen next to him. She held herself with more tension than usual. "What he said he saw me do?"

"No," she replied.

"Because it's okay if you're scared," Dean said.

"I'm not scared," Ali said defensively, sending Dean a harsh glare.

"Then what is it?" he asked as he drove. Ali hesitated. She wanted to explain everything to him. Tell him exactly what thoughts were swirling around her mind at that very moment. But she couldn't. She could never tell him or Sam what she had been thinking about all day. She could never tell them of the memories that had surfaced for the first time in a long time.

"I just wish we'd never come here," she muttered. Dean was about to ask her what she meant when he abruptly pulled to a stop. Up ahead of them was a mangled looking car as if it had been in a bad crash. He pulled up behind it before pulling out his gun.

"Wait in the car," he instructed as he climbed out and went to inspect the wreckage. Ali watched impatiently, craning her neck to get a better look. It looked like the windows of the car were smashed and if she squinted, she was sure she could spot blood dribbling down the side of the door.

She watched as Dean bent down to pick something up but she couldn't see what. Soon he was back in the driver's seat, having tossed a bloody looking knife into the trunk. They continued on down the road, neither of them saying a word.

The came to a bridge that appeared to be blocked. A dozen me or so stood in front of a large barricade that stretched the width of the road, blocking anyone from leaving.

"What the hell?" Ali muttered as they came to a stop, the hairs on the back of her neck pricking up. She looked to Dean who nodded in the direction of one of the men. She recognised him as Mrs Tanner's son.

Suddenly, there was a loud bang on the roof of the car, causing both Dean and Ali to jump.

"Sorry. Road's closed." A man's head swung into view and Ali held a hand to her chest, her heart racing. She was unusually jumpy today.

"Yeah, I can see that," Dean replied, putting on a nonchalant tone. "What's up?"

"Quarantine," the man replied. Dean raised a brow.

"Quarantine?" he repeated back. "What is it?"

"Don't know," the man said. "Something going around out there." Ali started to feel uncomfortable and she was pretty sure Dean knew it. She could see his hands tightening around the steering wheel whilst he kept the smile on his face.

"Uh-huh. Who told you that?" Dean asked.

"County Sheriff," the man replied.

"Is he here?" he asked.

"No. He called." There was a moment of silence as the man eyed the two of them. Ali shifted in the passenger seat. "Say, why don't you and your little lady get out of the car and we'll talk?" Ali gritted her teeth together as Dean started to laugh nervously.

"Well, you are a handsome devil, but I don't swing that way, sorry," he replied.

"I'd sure appreciate it if you got out of the car," the man said more seriously, his eyes lingering on the blonde girl longer than appropriate. "Just for a quick minute." Dean kept his expression light as he glanced at Ali before looking back to the man, nervous smile still in place.

"Yeah, I'll bet you would," he said before putting the car into reverse and slamming his foot down on the accelerator.

"Dean!" Ali yelped as the man grabbed the elder Winchester around the neck. He didn't let go until the impala has swung around, throwing him to the ground.

"Get down!" Dean yelled as they sped away, gun shots beginning to fire. Ali held her hands over her head as the bullets flew past them. Her heart hammered in her chest as they rounded a corner. As they distanced themselves further from the bridge the sound of gunfire died down.

"Dammit," Dean muttered as they pulled to a stop. Ali struggled to catch her breath, adrenalin pumping through both their veins. "You okay?" Dean looked over to the girl in the passenger seat. Her eyes were wide as she hyperventilated, her hands gripping the leather seats.

"We gotta get outta here," she panted. "We need to go get Sam and find a way out."

"That _was_ our way out," Dean said. Ali squeezed her eyes shut, her chest feeling tight as she forced air into her lungs.

"We're gonna die," she breathed, her eyes starting to water. "We're gonna die here."

"We're not gonna die," Dean said, turning to the blonde girl. She was still breathing heavily, the panic evident on her face. "Hey." He grabbed her shoulders and angled her body towards him. "Ali, we're not gonna die."

"You don't know that," she replied quietly. "You don't know what could happen."

"Yeah, I do," he said, his brow furrowing in concern as he watched the teen before him. He'd never seen her like this. He'd never seen her so afraid. "Ali, look at me." He softened his voice, gently tilting the girl's chin up so she was forced to look him in the eye. "Do you remember what I told you in the hospital?" Ali's eyes were shut as she tried to force the tears back in. "You remember what I said?" She took several deep breaths, trying to calm herself down. She remembered it clearly. He'd said it right before she and Sam had found John dead in his room.

"You said, 'Dean Winchester doesn't just roll over and die'" Ali replied, her heart still pounding but her breathing more controlled.

"That's right. And that's true for you," he said, looking her in the eye. He was dead serious. "And that's true for Sam too. None of us are going down easy." Ali nodded. "You're not gonna die here, that's a promise."

"Okay," Ali whispered, feeling much calmer. She felt embarrassed at getting so worried in front of Dean. She didn't want him to think she was weak. Usually she was good at keeping her emotions in check.

"Okay," Dean echoed, removing his hands from her shoulders and back to the steering wheel. He pressed his foot on the accelerator and they carried on back to the clinic.

* * *

The Impala pulled up outside the clinic and Ali and Dean jumped out along with Mark, a guy they had picked up on the way back. He'd been stranded in the town like the rest of them.

"Sammy?" Dean called as he banged on the window of the clinic. "Open up!" Sam appeared at the door and let them in, eyeing the new comer up and down. He was carrying a weapon like Dean.

"Did you guys get to a phone?" Sam asked.

"Road block," Ali replied as Dean told Mark to talk with the doctor.

"What's going on out there, Dean?" Sam asked with a worried frown. He'd been on edge ever since he had the vision of Dean. They all had been.

"Man, I don't know," Dean said as he ran his fingers through his hair. "Mark is the only sane person we could find."

"Do you know what it is?" Ali asked tentatively. She wasn't sure she really wanted to know the answer, but it might be the key to their survival.

"Doc thinks it's a virus," Sam replied.

"Okay, great," Dean said, a little sarcastically. "What do you think?"

"I think she's right," Sam said. Dean raised a brow. "And I think the infected are trying to infect others with blood-to-blood contact." Ali pinched the bridge of her nose. Despite what Dean had promised, things sure weren't looking promising. "Oh, but it gets better. The uh, the virus? Leaves traces of sulphur in the blood."

"A demonic virus?" Dean clarified.

"Yeah, more like demonic germ warfare," Sam said. "At least it explains why I've been having visions." Ali sighed.

"That's perfect," she muttered.

"Who knows how far this thing can spread?" Sam said worriedly. "We gotta get out of here, we gotta warn people."

"They've got one!" someone shouted from inside the examination room. Ali recognised it was Mark. "In here!" Ali followed the Winchesters into the room, a frown on her face.

"The wife," Sam started. "She's infected." Ali pushed her way through to see that they were all huddled around a door to the storage room. Mrs Tanner must've been in there.

"We've gotta take care of this," Mark said, turning to Dean. "We can't just leave her in there. The longer we wait, the stronger she'll get." Ali sucked in a breath when she saw Dean reach for his gun, a stony look on his face as he reached for the door handle.

"You're gonna kill Beverly Tanner?" the nurse, Pam, questioned incredulously.

"Doctor, could there be any treatment?" Sam asked in a last effort to save Mrs Tanner. "Some kind of cure for this?"

"For God's sake, I don't even know what it is!" Dr Lee exclaimed. Ali kept her gaze low as she folded her arms tightly She knew exactly what had to be done. If no one else was going to do it, she'd take care of it herself. She didn't have a choice.

"I told you, it's just a matter of time before she breaks through," Mark said.

"Just leave her in there, you can't shoot her like an animal!" Pam protested. Ali watched Dean take a deep breath before he looked to his brother. He nodded. Sam grabbed the door handle as Mark and Dean readied their weapons. Carefully, Sam opened the door and Mark and Dean raised their firearms.

Ali held her breath as Mrs Tanner pleaded for her life. She tried to convince Mark that everyone else was infected and not her. Ali held her jaw tight. She couldn't see Mrs Tanner but she must've been a great actress. She _could_ see Mark's face and he looked like he was about to cry. He lowered his weapon leaving Dean to be the only one left to do the deed.

"You sure she's one of 'em?" Ali heard Dean mumble quietly to his brother. Sam nodded, his face contorted in distress. The elder Winchester's face hardened, his eyes gliding over the blonde girl once before he fired. Two shots rang through the clinic. Mrs Tanner was dead.

* * *

"You get why he had to do it, right?" Sam muttered to Ali as he eyed his brother from across the room. Ali twirled her silver blade between her fingers and Sam sharpened his own knife.

"Trust me, I get it," Ali replied. She knew he was just trying to make sure she was okay, but he didn't need too. It wasn't the first time Ali had witnessed something like this. "Do you?" Sam raised a brow at her, wondering why she thought he might not understand what Dean had to do. Maybe it was because he hadn't shot that kid earlier in the day.

"Why are we staying here?" Ali and Sam looked up at the sound of Pam's protests. She looked terrified. "Please, let's just go!"

"No, we can't, because those things are everywhere," Dean barked back as Dr Lee when to console the scared nurse.

"No, she's right," Ali said, looking up at Dean. "We've gotta get out of here. Let people know what's coming." Dean nodded.

"Yeah, good point," he agreed. "Night of the Living Dead didn't exactly end pretty."

"Well, I'm not sure we've got a choice," Mark said. "Lots of folks up here are good with rifles. Even with all your hardware we're, we're easy targets. So, unless you've got some explosives..." He trailed off. They were so screwed.

"We could make some," Sam said suddenly as he ran over to a shelf and grabbed a bottle of potassium chloride. Suddenly, there was a banging from the door. Mark and Dean rushed out of the room, Sam and Ali following closely behind.

"Hey! Let me in," someone shouted frantically as they banged on the glass. "Let me in! Please!"

"It's Duane Tanner!" Mark exclaimed as he ran to let him in. Ali's eyes widened and she looked over to Sam and Dean. Sam sent her a nod, confirming her suspicions. This was the kid in Sam's vision. This was the kid Dean was going to kill.

Duane was lead into the examination room as he explained he had been on a fishing trip when this had all started. Ali could tell Dean was suspicious of him, and she couldn't blame him. Ali knew that Dean would only kill someone like Duane if he had to. At least that's what she hoped.

"You're bleeding," Dr Lee said suddenly, her voice serious. Ali turned her attention to the boy's leg where a deep gash was bleeding through his jeans.

"Where'd you get that?" Dean asked harshly.

"I was running, I must have tripped," he replied defensively.

"Tie him up," Dean instructed. "There's rope in there."

"Wait," Duane whined before Dean pulled his gun on him.

"Sit down!" he ordered the terrified looking kid.

"I'm sorry, Duane, he's right," Mark said. "We've gotta be careful."

"Did they bleed on you?" Dean asked.

"No, what the hell? No!" Duane insisted.

"Doc? Any way to know for sure, any test?" Sam asked.

"I've studied Mrs Tanner's bloodwork backwards and forwards," Dr Lee explained. "It took three hours for the virus to incubate. The sulphur didn't appear in the blood until then, so no. There'd be no way of knowing. Not until after Duane turns."

"Dean, I gotta talk to you," Sam muttered to his brother. "Now." From their hushed tones, Ali inferred that she wasn't invited to this mother's meeting. She watched the brother's exit the room into the corridor as Mark continued to tie Duane up.

"Sit in that chair," he instructed. Duane did as he was told and allowed Mark to secure him. Ali perched herself on one of the tables, absentmindedly continuing to twirl her blade between her fingers.

"Nice knife." Ali looked up and caught the boy's eye. He was raising a tentative brow at her. Ali shot him a blank look, stilling the blade's movements in her fist. "You don't look like a U.S. Marshall," he said. He was trying to make a joke to lighten the mood, but all each of them were thinking was: _would this guy explode at any moment?_ "What's your name?"

"Allison," she replied quietly, sliding off the table and leaning against it. "Sorry about your family." He smiled sadly back at her but Ali didn't return it. She was now preoccupied with the shouting she could here coming from the corridor. This wasn't good.

She barged through the door, catching sight of Sam and Dean in a heated argument.

"What the hell's happened to you?" Sam asked his brother, his voice raised.

"What?" Dean asked.

"You might kill an innocent man, and you don't even care!" Sam yelled back. "You don't act like yourself anymore, Dean. Hell, you know what? You're acting like one of those things out there."

Ali frowned at what Sam had said. They were harsh words coming from him. She watched as Dean pushed Sam away as he tried to pull him back, causing her to rush over.

"Hey!" she shouted. "What's going on here?" The brother's ignored her as Sam tried to stop Dean from going back into the examination room. As he did, Dean pushed him back hard, causing Sam to fall back against the table in another room. Without looking back, Dean slammed the door shut, locking Sam in the room.

"Dean! What are you doing?" Ali shouted after him.

"Keep outta my way," he said seriously. She watched him stalk down the corridor as Sam hammered on the locked door.

"Open the damn door, Dean!" he yelled as he rattled the door handle. "Don't do it, Dean! Don't!" After a moment, Ali had regained her senses from what had just happened. She rushed over to the door to let Sam out and they both headed into the room where the others were.

"Please, don't," Ali could hear Duane pleading as they pushed the door open. Dean had his gun cocked in the boy's direction as he pleaded for his life. Just like his mother had. Ali held her hand out in front of Sam to stop him advancing forward. If he did, it might provoke Dean to fire. "Don't, please. I swear, it's not in me, it's not in me, I swear." Duane continued to try to reason with Dean but he only held his weapon higher.

"I got no choice," Dean said in a low voice, his finger on the trigger. No one in the room moved a muscle. They were all focused on the man with the gun. Duane was sobbing now, the others all watching on in silence. As the seconds passed, Ali noticed a slight tremble in Dean's hand. She knew how hard this was for him. Whatever Sam said earlier, Dean wasn't just a mindless killer.

"Dean," she breathed quietly. She could see his shoulders tense even more than they were already.

"Damn it!" Dean muttered as he retracted his weapon and stormed out of the room.

* * *

The blonde girl sat at the window, pulling back a small section of the curtain to take a look outside. A few dozen men stood in the streets, all armed with rifles and knives. She sighed, letting the curtain fall back into place as she rubbed her neck. She was starting to grow tired now that the adrenaline that had been pumping through her veins all day had subsided a little.

"How'd you get that scar?" Dr Lee asked, her voice soft. Ali's fingers glided over the mark on her neck that the vampire had left when he'd bitten her. Truth be told she'd been pretty out of it that night that she couldn't remember all the details. Probably had something to do with the blood loss. Or the concussion.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," Ali replied. The doctor raised a brow at her.

"After today, I don't think there's anything I wouldn't believe." Ali laughed a little at that, though she still wouldn't tell her how she got the scar. It had faded considerably since she got it, mainly thanks to Sam's pretty good stitches, but it was still visible. She figured it would probably remain so for the rest of her life. "You're not just a work experience girl, are you?" Ali shook her head. "I can see it. You care about each other. What are they, your brothers or something?" Ali snorted dryly.

"No," she replied. "I guess you could say we're family friends." That was technically true.

"I talked with Dean. It's been over four hours and Duane's blood is clean," she said. "He said it was okay if I untie him." Ali nodded before she left to free the boy.

Ali walked in the opposite direction, discovering the elder Winchester in the lab making the explosives. He was alone.

"Where's Sam?" she asked quietly. Dean had been pretty silent since the incident earlier. She wasn't sure how much talking he wanted to do.

"He went to get more alcohol from the store room," he replied without looking up. Ali nodded. "Look, I'm sorry about -."

"It's fine," Ali cut in quickly. She didn't blame Dean for any of it. He'd been convinced the kid was a threat. He thought he was doing the right thing.

Suddenly, there was a loud clanging coming from the opposite room. Dean and Ali ran out, meeting Mark on the way who had also heard the commotion. Dean pulled out his gun, heading over to the store room. With a hard kick, the was open and Dean was storming in, sending three shots into Pam's back. She lurched forward away from Sam who was lying on the floor, his shirt bloody and red.

Ali was at the door, looking in. Her face was horrified. Dean walked over to Sam, reaching out a hand to help his brother up before Mark pulled him back.

"She bled on him," he pointed out, causing Ali's heart to race. She knew what this meant, but she didn't want to accept that it was true. "He's got the virus."

* * *

Ali pressed the dressing to Sam's wound silently, her eyes downcast. The Mark and the others had told her to keep a distance but she hadn't listened. She didn't care what they said. Whilst Sam was still Sam, she wasn't going to leave him bleeding and in pain.

"Doc, check his wound again, would you?" Dean asked as he paced the length of the room. Mark and Duane hovered at the door whilst Dr Lee stood nervously in the corner. "Doctor!"

"What's she need to examine him for?" Mark asked. "You saw what happened."

"Did her blood actually enter your wound?" Dr Lee asked.

"Come on, of course it did!" Mark protested.

"We don't know that for sure," Dean said.

"We can't take a chance," Mark replied. "You know what we have to do." Ali could feel the tears start to form in her eyes. She tried to force them away as she taped up the edges of the dressing and stepped away from Sam, turning her face to the wall so she could compose herself.

"Nobody is shooting my brother," Dean barked.

"He isn't gonna be your brother much longer," Mark continued. "You said it yourself."

"Nobody is shooting anyone!" Dean yelled.

"You were gonna shoot me!" Duane reminded him.

"You shut your pie-hole, I still might!" he shouted back.

"Dean, they're right," Sam said as he looked up. Ali looked over to him but didn't meet his gaze. She couldn't. "I'm infected. Just give me the gun and I'll do it myself."

"Sam," Ali warned as she shook her head. Sam smiled sadly at her.

"Forget it," Dean said. Ali was conflicted in her mind. She didn't want Sam to die, but at the same time, she knew exactly what he was going to turn into. She couldn't decide which was the better option. Both seemed like a crap choice.

"Dean, I'm not gonna become one of those things," Sam said.

"Look, I understand he's your brother," Mark cut in. "And I'm sorry, I am. But we gotta take care of this." Ali watched as the man pulled out his handgun and pointed it in Sam's direction.

"I'm gonna say this one time," Dean said seriously. "You make a move on him, you'll be dead before you hit the ground. You understand me? Do I make myself clear?!"

"Then what are we supposed to do?!" Mark asked in a shout. Ali watched as Dean tossed the man his car keys.

"Get the hell out of here, that's what," Dean said. Ali frowned. She wasn't sure she liked where this was going. "Take my car. You've got the explosives, there's an arsenal in there. You two go with him. You've got enough firepower to handle anything now."

"What about you?" Mark asked. There was a moment of silence as Dean shifted uncomfortably.

"Dean, no," Sam protested. "No. Go with them. This is your only chance!"

"You're not gonna get rid of me that easy," Dean joked. Ali didn't see anything funny about what was happening. She was staring at Dean and she knew he could feel her gaze. He was avoiding it purposefully.

"No, he's right," Mark said. "Come with us." Dean shook his head. "Okay, it's your funeral." He made his way to the door, Duane following closely after.

"You too, Ali," Dean said, his eyes still not looking up. Mark and Duane stopped by the door, looking back. Now it was Ali's turn to shake her head.

"No way," she said firmly, and though she was trying to stay forceful and strong on the outside, she felt like she was crumbling. "If you're staying, I'm staying."

"You gotta go, kiddo," Dean said, finally meeting her eyes. "You gotta get outta here. Go back to Bobby's, tell everyone what's happening here."

"I can't," she protested, trying to hold back the tears. "You said you wouldn't go down without a fight," she argued. "You promised!" Dean bent down, taking her shoulders and bending down so he was at eye level.

"I promised you I wouldn't let you die here," Dean corrected. "And I promised Bobby I'd keep you safe."

"Screw what you said to Bobby," Ali argued. "I'm not leaving without you and Sam." Dean shook his head.

"Come on, Ali," Dean said quietly, trying to persuade her to leave with the others. "You've been saying all day that you want out of this town. Now's your chance. There's no point in all of us dying over this."

"None of us have to die!" she yelled. She'd given up trying to hold back the tears. Now they were flowing freely down her cheeks. "We can figure out how to cure Sam. We'll find a way, there has to be a way!" She was crying now and Dean pulled her into a hug, trying to soothe her.

"Okay, okay," he whispered. He could feel her shaking. "Its's gonna be okay." He rested his chin on top of her head as he caught Mark's eye. The older man sent him a look. Dean knew exactly what he was asking. He nodded to confirm. He held the girl a moment longer before he released his grip. "I'm sorry."

And then Dean's arms around her were replaced with Mark's as he pulled her backwards out of the room.

"No!" Ali yelled at him. "Stop! Let go of me!" He didn't listen as he pulled her away from the Winchesters. Ali fought against his grip but he was too strong. "Dean! Sam!" She yelled for them as she struggled to get free, but Dean had already closed the door. She'd stopped crying. Now she was just angry. "Let go of me, you asshole," she said bitterly to Mark.

"Your friend just saved your life," he muttered as he pulled her outside, Dr Lee and Duane right behind them. She was still struggling as they made their way towards the Impala, but she stopped when she felt Mark slacken his grip around her waist.

"Look," Duane said as they peered around. Mark let go of Ali but she didn't try to run away. She was staring at the streets. The deserted streets. All the people who'd been there before had vanished. There wasn't a single person anywhere.

"Oh my God," Dr Lee muttered. Ali heard her footsteps as she ran back inside, but she remained in place. There was something creepy about seeing the streets so empty. Something unnerving. Not before long, Ali heard footsteps at the door of the clinic. Sam and Dean followed the doctor outside as they looked around, the six of them confused bewildered.

"There's no one," Dr Lee said. "Not anywhere. They've all just…vanished." Ali frowned, feeling a chill to her spine as she caught sight of the telephone pole to her right. She ran a finger over the letters that were engraved there, goose bumps forming on her skin.

 _Croatoan._

* * *

Dean looked up as Sam approached him. It was morning now and since Sam had shown no signs of violence or any other symptoms, they were pretty sure he was okay.

"Hey," Duane called over to Dr Lee who was leaning against the door of the clinic. "The Sarge and I are getting the hell out of here, heading south. You should come."

"I'd better get over to Sidewinder, get the authorities up here," she said. "If they'll believe me. Take care." Mark and Duane waved goodbye before heading off.

"What about him?" Dean asked, gesturing to Sam. Although he hadn't turned like the Tanner's he was still worried about his brother."

"He's going to be fine," she assured them. "No signs of infection." She headed back inside as Dean turned to Sam, sending him a look.

"Hey man, don't look at me," Sam said defensively. "I got no clue."

"I swear, I'm gonna lose sleep over this one," he said, running his fingers through his hair. The whole situation didn't add up. Something wasn't right. "I mean, why here, why now? And where the hell did everybody go? It's like they just friggin' melted."

"Why was I immune?" Sam asked.

"Yeah. You know what? That's a good question," Dean said, heading over to the driver's side of the Impala. "You know, I'm already starting to feel like this is the one that got away." Sam stood on the passenger side, his eyes cast down. He didn't know why he was immune, but he was going to find out.

"Hey Ali?" Dean called to the girl who was leaning against the trunk. She'd barely said a word all night.

"Don't talk to me," she said harshly, sliding into the back seat and slamming the door. Dean sighed, leaning tapping his hand on the roof of the Impala as he caught Sam's eye over the other side.

"She's pissed," the younger Winchester pointed out. Dean nodded, his mind wondering back to his brother.

 _The visions, the immunity, his father's warning…_

Dean had far bigger problems than Ali to worry about. His brother's condition was the priority.

"She'll get over it," he said as he pulled open the door before they got the hell out of that town.

* * *

 **AN: Thanks for reading. Hope you liked that chapter!**

 **I feel like Ali was unusually emotional in this chapter and now she'd mad at Dean again. Do you think she'll get over it?**

 **Let me know what you thought, much love x**


	15. Chapter 15 - Family Fortunes

Allison Venator was certainly not over what had happened in Oregon. It would take her more than a couple of days before she was willing to forgive and forget the fact that Dean had been prepared to send her off with strangers whilst he rolled over and died. It was more than that though. In that moment when Dean had refused to let his brother die alone, Ali had seen exactly what family meant to the hunter. And the fact that Dean wouldn't've let Ali stay as well only caused her to feel even more isolated from the pair. It was easy to forget that Dean wasn't really her big brother. It was easy to forget that neither the Winchester boys were her real family. But they were each other's family. Ali knew she would never really be a part of that, no matter how hard she tried.

Even so, with the more recent (and more serious) events that had occurred since Oregon, Ali had decided to put all her frustration and negative energy into a draw at the back of her mind and lock it up tightly. There were more important things to worry about.

Number one on her list was a pretty serious one: Sam was missing.

Not only did this mean she needed to focus on the younger Winchester's safety before her own grievances, she also needed to keep the air clean between herself and Dean. This was primarily because they had in fact been breathing the same air for the past four hours as they drove in the Impala, and the fact that in Sam's absence, they'd spent quite a bit of time just the two of them. With no Sam to dispel the tension, they had to do it themselves. Otherwise Ali couldn't guarantee either of them would make it through the day alive.

"What was it you said about why Sam took off?" Ali asked, her brow raised at the Winchester next to her. She knew full well that Dean hadn't in fact said anything about why Sam had disappeared in the middle of the night – only that Dean was sure he was fine and that he'd come back soon. Ali didn't believe a word of it.

"Sammy's just taking a solo vacation for a bit, that's all," Dean replied, his fingers drumming on the steering wheel.

"Vacation?" Ali asked sceptically. "A hunting vacation?"

"Look, Sam's gonna be fine, alright?" he said. "He's a big boy, he can take care of himself."

"If you believe that, why are we going after him?" No reply. _Unsurprising._ Ali narrowed her eyes at the older Winchester. He would give her a straight answer if he didn't have anything to hide. But then again, Dean always had something to hide. "You're worried."

"I ain't worried," Dean defended as he pulled off the highway.

"Dean, I know something must've happened between you two," she said, watching him carefully from the passenger seat. "Did you have a fight or something?" Dean's hands tightened on the wheel, his shoulders tensing uncomfortably. "You did, didn't you?" He sighed.

"I may've told him some stuff that he didn't want to hear," Dean admitted.

"What stuff?"

"I don't want you to worry about it, okay Ali," Dean said as he shook his head.

"But Dean-."

"It's family business, alright?" Dean was taken aback at his own words and felt a surge of guilt rise in his stomach. He knew Allison Venator didn't like feeling left out when it came to him and his brother. However, he didn't retract his statement, keeping his eyes fixed on the road ahead.

Ali scoffed, turning away from the hunter and grumpily crossing her arms.

"Fine," she said, trying to mask the bitterness in her voice as she reached over to crank up the volume on the radio that had been quietly humming AC/DC for the past couple of hours.

* * *

Dean pulled to a stop outside of a small but busy diner. It'd been a while since either of them had eaten and even though he didn't want to waste any time finding Sam, he needed a break from the driving. Maybe a breath of fresh air would be good for both of them.

He glanced over at the sleeping blonde girl as he climbed out of Baby, purposefully slamming the door extra loud in order to rouse her.

"Hey, Princess Valium, wake up," he called, the impact of the car door swinging shut causing the girl to jolt awake. Ali sat up dead straight before realising where she was. A scowl rested on her face as she climbed out of the passenger seat and made her way into the diner. They both ordered the usual, barely giving the menu a second glance. Ali smiled contently when the heart-attack-inducing meal was carried over by the waitress. As she walked away from the table, Ali noted how Dean uncharacteristically didn't turn to check her out. _Weird._

"How many times have you called him?" she asked as she sucked a mouthful of her soda up through the straw.

"I must've left fifteen messages." Dean replied as he checked is phone again to see if he'd received a text from his brother. Ali watched as the elder Winchester sighed, showing the phone back into his pocket and picking at his fries. He'd barely touched the cheese burger with extra onions and bacon. Just from that, Ali knew how anxious he really was.

"I'll try Bobby again," Ali suggested, waiting for Dean's nod of approval before sliding out of the booth and exiting the diner. She stood only a foot from the entrance, her back pressed to the wall as she dialled the hunter's number on her mobile. He picked up on the second ring, giving a grunt of acknowledgement to the caller.

"Bobby? It's me," Ali said. It hadn't been too long since she'd seen the man who'd raised her for the last six years. She'd tried to keep in contact with him as much as possible since the summer.

 _"_ _It's good to hear from you, Al."_ Bobby's voice came gritty and clear down the phone. She smiled.

"You too."

 _"_ _How're the boys?"_ Ali bit her lip. Him asking meant he didn't have any idea about what was going on with Sam. That meant he hadn't heard from the younger Winchester. That meant they were no steps closer to finding him.

"Sam took off in the middle of the night," she blurted out. She'd never been great at delivering bad news. She'd more often been the recipient rather than the messenger. "I don't know why, but Dean's worried. A-and I know something happened but he won't tell me what."

 _"_ _Slow down kid,"_ Bobby requested after listening to her word vomit. _"_ _You say Sam's gone?"_

"Yeah. Last night," Ali replied. "We were hoping you mighta heard from him." A sigh came from the other end of the line.

 _"_ _Sorry, Al,"_ the older hunter said. _"_ _Could try the Roadhouse."_ Ali ran a hand through her thick locks. The blonde strands really needed a brush.

"Alright, thanks, Bobby. I'll keep you posted." She hung up, heading back inside the diner to meet Dean. He looked up at her as she approached, a glimmer of hope in his eyes. Ali shook her head at him. The hope dulled to exhaustion.

"Okay, let's head out," he said, shoving his plate to the side and standing from the booth. From the looks of it, he's barely eaten a thing. Ali thought about commenting on it, but decided against it, simply nodding as she grabbed her cup of soda from the table as Dean threw down a twenty-dollar bill.

She followed the man outside as they approached the car, glancing up at the sky that had already begun to darken. She checked her phone for the time. _Seven thirty. When did that happen?_ She looked up at Dean who was struggling to suppress a yawn, his neck straining as his nostrils flared.

"Dean."

"Mmm?"

"Maybe we should stay at a motel tonight," Ali suggested, eyeing the tired man wearily. "I mean, we're both tired. We're no use to Sam if we can't even stay awake." Dean shook his head as he yanked open the door of the Impala.

"I'll sleep when I've got my brother back," Dean grumbled, running the palm of his hand over his face. The blonde girl sighed and approached the man who was about to climb into the driver's seat.

"Okay," she agreed. "Why don't you ride shotgun. I'll drive for a while." Dean laughed.

"Like hell you will," he said, shaking his head. Ali grumbled.

"Well I'm not getting in that car with you falling asleep at the wheel," she told him defiantly. Dean groaned. Although it frustrated him that the girl wouldn't just do as he said, he couldn't deny that he was exhausted.

"Fine, we'll get a motel," he said. "But we leave first thing in the morning." Ali nodded in agreement. She wondered how much the elder Winchester would actually sleep knowing his brother was out there alone, but maybe with some persuading, he would try and get some shut eye before the next day. She had a feeling he'd need it.

* * *

The next morning, Dean and Ali were well on their way to leaving the small town to track down Sam. Bobby's idea to try the roadhouse had paid off last night when Dean had received a call from Ellen. After a little persuading, she'd informed him that Sam was in Lafayette, Indiana. As predicted, Dean had only managed to close his eyes for about forty-five minutes, and even then, he'd been restless. Being in the next bed, Ali's night hadn't been much better. But, after plying herself and Dean with an extra strong coffee, they were both feeling sufficiently awake enough to pack up their things and make it to the Impala.

Dean gunned the engine and set off from the lights, happy to be putting the town in the rear-view mirror. They'd already been there longer than Dean had planned.

"Dean, look out!" Ali's shout was accompanied with a hard slap to the shoulder. He slammed on the breaks just as a screaming woman ran out in front of the car, the bumper clipping her before she was knocked to the ground.

"Shit," Dean cursed as Ali flung open the passenger door.

"Call 911," she instructed before running to the woman's aid. The woman was still screaming and Ali wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. Upside: she wasn't dead. Dean hadn't killed her. Downside: she was screaming. She could be in pain or have a serious injury.

She knelt down next to the woman who had managed to sit up. A small cut to her head had dribbled blood down the side of her face. Ali examined her for any other wounds that could be causing the woman so much apparent pain. The woman began to try to stand up and Ali grabbed her arm in order to steady her. It was then that she noticed the scratches. Deep red scratches stretched along both her forearms that shook with each of the woman's wails. Ali frowned at them. They couldn't've been from the car. They were evenly spaced. Five on each arm. These were from fingernails.

"What happened?" Ali asked as she tried to calm the woman down.

"Jackson," the woman gasped, her eyes filled with fear. Ali realised then that the woman wasn't screaming because she was in pain. She was screaming because she was afraid. "It was Jackson."

"Who's Jackson?" Ali questioned as the woman sobbed. Her ginger hair was matted over her face as she clung to her for dear life.

"My son," she whispered, her voice terrified before her eyes rolled back and she went limp. Ali struggled with the woman's weight. She wasn't a large person, but Ali was fairly slight and couldn't really support the dead weight of another human being in her arms. She gently laid the woman on the ground, turning an anxious glance in the direction the she had come from, almost expecting to see a man with an axe running towards them. She caught sight of Dean who was talking hurriedly on the phone. A steady line of traffic had built up behind the Impala.

The sound of an ambulance approaching in the distance calmed her somewhat. She checked that the woman was breathing before laying her in the recovery position. Dean jogged over when he was finished on the phone, bending down next to Ali to see what was happening.

"Oh god," he said nervously. "I didn't kill her, did I?" Ali shook her head.

"No, I think she just fainted," Ali said. "Her head doesn't look that bad. But look at this." Ali turned over one of the unconscious woman's arms so that Dean could see the scratches.

"Yikes." Dean winced at the sight of them. They looked painful. Before they had a chance to discuss anything else, a paramedic team had run over, instructing them both to keep back as they loaded the woman into the back of the ambulance. Dean went to move the Impala out of the road as Ali waited with baited breath to see if the woman was okay. She'd woken up and was now getting her wounds seen to.

"Excuse me?" a voice said from behind her. Ali turned around to see a police officer with a notepad and pen.

"Yeah." The man had a kind but strict face. His dark hair was gelled back from a side parting giving it a greasy look.

"I'm Officer Bateman," he said. "Can you tell me what happened to Ms White?" He gestured to the ambulance.

"She ran out of nowhere," Ali replied. "It wasn't Dean's fault. He braked as soon as he saw her."

"Dean's the driver?" the office clarified. Ali nodded. "And you are?"

"Allison."

"Allison," he said as if testing how it sounded on his tongue. "Can you tell me how Ms White got those scratches on her arm, Allison?" He didn't sound accusatory but his tone still made Ali feel guilty.

"I don't know," she replied as she shook her head. "She said someone named Jackson attacked her."

"Her son, Jackson?" Officer Bateman asked.

"Yeah."

"Dammit Carol," the officer mumbled under his breath as he put his notepad and pen away. Ali could tell that he must know Ms White outside of work. He looked saddened by the news that her son attacked her, but most of all, disappointed.

"What is it?"

"It's Jackson's thirteenth birthday today," he sighed as if he had just figured something out. Ali grimaced. "There are no further questions. You and your friend are free to go." He turned to leave, leaving Ali thoroughly confused.

"Wait!" she called. He turned around, his features exasperated like he'd just received terrible news. "Is she gonna be okay? What about Jackson? What he did was horrible." He shook his head as he approached her again, keeping his voice low.

"Yeah, and also impossible," he said. "The kid died eight months ago." With that, he was gone, leaving Ali with a million questions in her mind.

* * *

"Jackson White," Ali said, slapping down the newspaper clipping on the table in the diner. It was the same one they'd sat at the day before. "Age twelve. Found dead eight months ago after he didn't come home from school." Dean didn't look up from his breakfast that he'd managed to eat about half of since they returned to the diner. He'd wanted to leave as soon as the fiasco from the morning was over but couldn't bring himself to until Ms White had been given the all-clear at the hospital. They were expecting a call at any moment.

"Come on, Dean," she pleaded. "Vengeful spirit – it's gotta be."

"Yeah," Dean replied, his expression growing annoyed. He felt like a broken record. "Or it's a mom who's been driven out of her frickin mind by guilt a-and grief and would probably benefit from a few happy pills."

"Dean, you know that's bullshit. Look at this," she said, shoving the article in front of him. "The cops thought foul play but they never got the guy who did it."

"And our friend Carol was cleared as a suspect," Dean pointed out. "If Jackson was a spirit, why would he go after his mom."

"I dunno. He's been stuck in the veil for eight months. That can't be good for you."

"You know what? You're probably right," Dean replied. "But this ain't our gig, kiddo. Finding Sam is all that matters right now." Ali grumbled.

"It's a simple salt and burn," she said. "I know where he's buried. We can be gone before tonight."

"No," Dean said, shooting Ali a glare. He'd finished his meal and was already heading outside before Ali could say anything else. "Look, if it bothers you, I'll call Bobby and he'll get someone else to come down here and sort it out." Ali crossed her arms as they climbed into the Impala.

"Fine," she said grumpily. She couldn't see any way she'd get through to Dean. When he thought that Sam was in danger it was like he had tunnel vision. Nothing else mattered to him in those moments. Ali thought it unwise to get in the way of Dean looking out for his brother.

The ringing of a cell phone sounded through the car and Dean answered it, muttering a quick "thanks" after a few seconds. "She's fine. They're sending her home in a couple of hours." Ali nodded. "Let's get outta here."

He pulled the car out into the road, heading out of the town for the second time that day. Ali stared out of the windows as they drove. The streets seemed busier than yesterday, probably because it was now the weekend. People bustled from shop to shop, going about their daily chores and errands. Ali marvelled at how simple their lives were. How naïve they were. Growing up in a family of hunters, she'd never known what that was like.

"You've gotta be kidding me," Dean mumbled as he brought a fist down on the wheel. The traffic ahead looked solid and unmoving. Ali stuck her head out the window to see the lights up ahead. None of them were lit and a group of men in high-visibility jackets surrounded them.

"The lights are broken," she informed him. "It's probably gonna take us a while to get through."

"Screw that, we're leaving," he said, gunning the engine and doing a U-turn into the other lane. Just as he did, there was a small pop and a large whoosh of air. _Flat tire._

"I guess someone just really wants us to stay in this town," Ali quipped, shooting Dean a smirk as he glared back.

And an hour and a half later they'd managed to push the car out of the road, changed the flat tire for the spare and were now at the mechanics to get a new one. A large nail in the road was the culprit for puncturing Baby's back left tire and to say Dean had taken the whole affair badly was a tremendous understatement. As he jacked the car up Ali could hear him mumbling profanities under his breath. She'd offered to help at least six times but when it came to his Baby, Dean was very possessive. He'd probably tell her she was doing it wrong anyway.

After another half an hour of Dean fiddling with his car that Ali was coming to dislike more and more, he'd finally finished.

"You know, if we'd just salted and burned that kid's corpse when I said, we'd be halfway to Indiana already," she drawled to a fairly pissed off Dean. The mechanic's yard reminded her somewhat of Bobby's place. She'd spent many hours by herself there over the years trying to find and scavenge parts that she thought were interesting. When a large pile of scrap metal had accumulated on his kitchen floor, Bobby had made her move it. She found it hard to believe the memory was over five years old.

"If we'd left yesterday like I wanted, we might've already found Sam!" Ali was taken aback at how angry the elder Winchester sounded. At first, she'd thought it was anger directed at the situation – at the fact that Sam was gone. Now she thought maybe it had something to do with her. She knew she had been pushing Dean's buttons all day, but that's what she and him did. They bickered and teased each other like she used to with Tyler. Maybe she'd taken it a step too far.

"I know," she said quietly. Dean's hands were braced against the roof of the car. He wasn't really angry. He was worried. "I just…" she trailed off. "I'm worried. It's not like you to walk away from a case."

"I don't care about the god damn case, Ali!" he yelled as he turned around to face her. He still had a wrench in his hand and for a fleeting moment, Ali thought he was going to hit her. He dropped it on the ground. "All I care about is finding Sam!" The girl gritted her teeth together. She could feel her cheeks redden in frustration.

"Why?!" she yelled back, throwing her arms up in the air. "Sam left by himself, Dean. He didn't get taken or kidnapped. He left by himself. There's no reason for you to be worried." She took a breath as Dean stared at her. She wasn't sure what it was that caused her to explode like she did. Maybe it was rage still spilling over from what happened in Oregon. Maybe it was how blatantly Dean had been lying to her. "Unless, of course, there's something you're not telling me." She shot him a knowing look. Dean broke eye contact.

"I don't have time for this," he said, turning away and wiping his greasy hands on a rag.

"Why did Sam take off?" No answer. "What did you argue about?" Ignored again. "What was it about, Dean?"

"It's nothing," he said dismissively. Ali closed her eyes, bracing herself before she asked the next question.

"Is it something to do with John?" Dean stopped what he was doing and looked up at her. His father's death was still very much an open wound.

"Why would you ask that?" he questioned quietly. Ali shook her head.

"Things aren't like they used to be," she replied in an equally quiet voice. "I mean, you're different. Ever since-."

"Ever since what?" he asked, his voice raised again. "Ever since my father died? Sorry if I'm not all Mr Peachy-Red-Roses-And-Sunshine." Ali rolled her eyes.

"You know that's not what I meant."

"Look, I've got my secrets," Dean said. "I'm sure there's a hell of a lotta stuff you're keeping back too"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ali asked with a frown.

"It means I know how to mind my own damn business," he barked. Ali shook her head. They were getting off topic. She was going to find out why Sam left if it was the last thing she ever did.

"Is it something he said?" she asked with a raised brow. "Is it something to do with how John died?"

"Ali, drop it okay," Dean warned. His voice was so deadly serious that Ali could barely breathe under his piercing stare. "I've never asked you about my father. I'd appreciate it if you did the same." Ali took a breath.

"What are you talking about?" Dean scoffed at her.

"Don't play dumb," he said with narrowed eyes. "I saw the way you were with him. You had your own issues with the guy." Ali remained perfectly still. "Sure, I wanna know what that was about. So how 'bout this? You tell me what your beef was with my old man, and I'll tell you why Sam took off?" Dean had bent down so that he was eye-level with the teen. His face was so close to hers that he could see the muscle of her jaw clenching. She didn't say a word. "Didn't think so." He backed off, turning away to finish up on his car. When he heard the sound of shoes slapping against the concrete, he didn't have to turn around to know that she was gone.

* * *

Ali lost track of time after she'd left the mechanic's. She estimated that about three hours had passed whilst she aimlessly wondered around the town. She and Dean needed some time to calm down and the best way to do that was if they were apart.

The sky had darkened considerably since the morning. A large grey cloud loomed overhead, threatening to spill over the town at any moment. Caught up in her thoughts, Ali didn't notice any of it. It wasn't until a speck of water landed on her cheek that she realised it was raining. _Could this day suck anymore?_ She wasn't even wearing a jacket.

As the rain picked up, Ali slipped into the small shop that she was walking past to get away from the rain. It was oddly dark inside. The only light source apart from the large window at the front of the store was a dim red lamp in the corner.

At first, she worried she'd accidently stepped into some kind of gentleman's club, but as she spied the unusual trinkets and posters on the wall, she realised she was wrong. The set of tarot cards illuminated by the fiery glow gave it away. It was some kind of divination supply shop. As Ali looked around, she noticed several crystal balls placed on shelves behind glass. As the light refracted through the glass, an array of colours dispersed through one of the orbs. The blonde girl thought it to be almost beautiful.

"Are you here for a reading?" Ali jumped at the voice behind her and spun around, coming face to face with a short woman hovering behind a table. _Had she been there the whole time_?

"Umm." Ali stuttered, caught off guard. "I uh…"

"Half price today only." The woman caught her hand, though not in an aggressive way. Although Ali was a little taken aback, she didn't pull away. The woman stared at her with quizzical eyes. Ali guessed she wasn't the real deal. Even so, this kind of thing gave her the creeps. If her future was going to be anything like her past, she didn't want to know.

"Sorry, I don't have any money," Ali replied, edging a little towards the door. A quick glance outside told her the rain cleared away.

"Free for you," she offered. The teen bit her lip. _One reading couldn't hurt._ Her lack of reply was interpreted as a yes as the woman unfolded Ali's hand and started to cryptically trace the creases of her palm with the pads of her fingers. _On second thoughts…_ Ali obviously believed in the supernatural, but this kind of thing weirded her out.

Just then, she caught sight of a familiar woman outside the store through the glass. It was the woman Dean had hit with the car. The woman with the scratches. Mrs White.

Ali ripped her hand away from the fortune teller, her eyes glued to the woman outside.

"Sorry, I have to go," she muttered absentmindedly as she turned fully away from the table. The short woman grabbed her hand before she could make it out the door, this time much more forcefully. Ali pulled away on instinct and was out the door before she realised the woman had closed a small square of card into her hand.

 _"_ _Orientem Fortunes"_ the card read. Ali turned around to see the name written in the same calligraphy above the door of the shop. It was a business card.

Forgetting it in a second, Ali caught up with Mrs White, tapping her on the shoulder once she was in reaching distance. The woman shuddered at the contact as she turned around.

"Mrs White?" Ali said with a careful smile. "My friend hit you with his car this morning? I'm glad you're alright."

"Oh, yes," she replied with a nod of recognition, her mind elsewhere.

"I don't mean to be rude," Ali started. "But shouldn't you be at home?" The woman looked like she might break down at any moment. Ali glanced down at her arms to see that they'd been bandaged up.

"The hospital sent me home but I couldn't stay there," she muttered, her eyes glazed over in fear and grief. "Not in that house. Not with…"

"With your son?" The woman looked up in surprise. "I believe you."

"At first I thought it was my mind playing cruel tricks," she said. "But I can feel him. The house goes cold when he's around."

"I think Jackson is stuck here because he can't find peace," Ali said softly. "I wanna help him. And you." She nodded, a wave of sadness rushing over her.

"Maybe I deserve it," she said tearfully. "Maybe if I'd been a better mother-."

"You can't think like that," Ali interrupted softly. "It wasn't your fault." The woman sniffled as she grabbed a handkerchief from her pocket and used it to wipe her puffy eyes. "Mrs White, is there a place you can stay for a while? A friend? Family member?"

"My neighbour," she said. Ali nodded.

"Okay. Why don't you go get some rest?" She nodded as Ali sent her a reassuring smile, turning around and heading towards her street. Ali watched her go, determination to help the poor woman the only thing on her mind. Unfortunately, it was short lived. Within a few moments, she could feel eyes on the back of her head.

"Nicely handled," Dean Winchester drawled as he pulled up next to her. Ali huffed as she continued to walk along the sidewalk whist trying to ignore the man in the Impala who was driving at her walking pace. "What? You gonna ignore me? I paid you a compliment."

"I have nothing to say to you," she replied curtly without looking across at him.

"Come on, don't be a drama queen," he teased. Ali shot him an annoyed looked. "Get in the car."

"No."

"Stop being a kid and get in the car."

"No!"

"Allison, sweetie," he said in a mocking tone. "Would you pretty please get in the car?" Ali ignored him. "You want me to apologise for yelling at you? Fine. I apologise."

"I don't give a crap about you yelling at me," she replied.

"Okay, well I can't make you get in the car, but I'm getting the hell outta dodge," Dean said. "Have fun hitchhiking back to South Dakota." Ali sighed, casting the elder Winchester a look who held a smug expression on his face. She opened the passenger door and slid into the Impala.

"Indiana, here we come," Dean muttered as he revved the engine and pulled out. "What's this?" he asked, pulling the small piece of card from Ali's hand that she forgot she had. "I thought you weren't into all the mystical fortune stuff?"

"I'm not," she replied, a little frustrated as she snatched the card back from Dean and shoved it into her pocket.

"How was she?" Dean asked. Ali didn't need to query who he meant.

"As well as she could be with the ghost of her dead son haunting her," she replied. She knew the bitterness in her voice was obvious but she didn't care. "Let's just go find Sam."

"Okay," Dean said as they made it to the set of lights for the third time that day. However, instead of going straight on get out of the town, Dean took a sharp left. "We just gotta make one stop first."

* * *

Ali wasn't sure what thoughts ran through her head when Dean pulled up outside the cemetery. She wondered what was going through his mind even more. What had happened in the hours they'd been apart that had changed his mind?

"Shovel's in the trunk," he muttered as he nodded over his shoulder. "Better get shovelling."

It was hard work for someone with as small a frame as Ali, especially on her own. Dean watched with an air of amusement as the teen scooped the dirt from the grave into a heap. The rain had softened the ground to a degree that meant a lot of sludge, puddles, and feet sinking below the surface of the mud. Ali carried on until she discovered the coffin buried six feet under.

She let Dean retrieve the gasoline from the trunk and pour it onto the corpse of the young boy. The story really was tragic, but she hoped that in doing this, the Mrs White could begin to heal from her grief.

It had been dark for a fair time before the flames ignited the salted bones. Clumps of mud clung to Ali's hair, along with almost every other inch of her. She was surprised when Dean didn't turn her away from sitting shotgun in the state she was in. She was even more surprised when he pulled up outside the motel and instructed her to get a room and a shower.

The blonde girl stripped off her clothes into the sink as she stared at her dirty face in the mirror. She looked disgusting and was definitely grateful at the prospect of a thorough scrub. Her nails would definitely need it.

Her feet left muddy prints on the white tiles as she stepped into the shower. She turned on the water immediately and didn't wait until it was warm before getting under the stream of water. She washed her body twice, her hair three times. The gritty dirt clung to the strands of wet blonde hair tighter than she'd anticipated.

When she moved to scrub her feet again, she noticed that the anklet that hung around her ankle had also been coated in a layer of clay. Huffing, she stepped out of the shower and unhooked the metal clasp and rinsed it under tap, using her nails to scrape out the scum from between the black stones. She left it on the side before climbing back into the shower to finish off her wash.

A second or two after stepping under the shower, she felt the water suddenly turn hot, causing a burning sensation to run down her back. She moved straight away, rubbing the sore spot between her shoulder blades where the water had scolded her back. She tested the temperature with her hands before resuming her shower again and finishing off.

She was dried and dressed when Dean walked through the motel room door.

"Didn't pick up any EMF at the house," he informed, waving the modified Walkman at her. "Looks like Mrs White will be back there in no time." Ali nodded gratefully.

"Does it bother you that we didn't figure out who killed her son?" she asked.

"That's not our job," he reminded her. "We're hunters, not the police. We put the kid to rest and saved the mom from more grief than she needs. I'd say that's a pretty good day." Ali smiled.

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

"I'm always right." She rolled her eyes at him.

"Hey, do I have a red mark or something here?" she asked, pulling down the neck of her top to expose the base of her neck between her shoulder blades. "I think I burnt it in the shower."

"I don't see anything," Dean replied after taking a quick look. Ali shrugged. "Can we go _now?"_ he asked, nodding to the door. It was nearing midnight but Ali knew if she kept Dean from his brother a moment longer she actually might have to hitchhike back to South Dakota. She nodded, grabbing her back of muddy clothes from the floor and following Dean out.

"Let's go find Sam."

* * *

 **AN: Finally updated this! Sorry for the wait. Hope you all had a good Easter if you celebrate, and if you don't, hope you had a good weekend :)**

 **Hope you liked this chapter. Sorry to any Sam-lovers who missed him in this chapter! (Is there even anyone who doesn't love Sam?) Things got a bit tense between Dean and Ali for a second there too. Looks like they've both been keeping secrets from each other.**

 **Would love to hear about how you're finding this story so far and what you'd like to see happen/more of/less of.**

 **Let me know what you thought, much love x**


	16. Chapter 16 - Hunted

The drive to Lafayette, Indiana so far hadn't been too bad. Dean and Ali had spent most of it in silence, the quiet sound of Bob Seger filling the Impala. The sky was still dark, though the faintest hint of the sun was starting to peek over the horizon. Ali leant her head against the window, watching as the stars faded into the morning sky. The sign informing them that they'd reached Indiana whizzed past and she pulled her jacket closer around her shoulders. It wasn't much of a blanket, but it did the trick. She snuggled further into the seat, pressing her face against the window until she was comfortable and let her eyes fall shut. Just as she was about to drift off, the music quietened down, causing her eyes to snap open. Dean's hand had retracted from the volume button and was now placed back on the wheel.

"Why'd you turn it down?" she asked softly as she sat up. Dean's gaze glided over from the road and then back again.

"Thought you were sleeping," he replied, checking in the rear-view mirror that it was safe for him to change lanes. "You look tired."

"I fine," she insisted but she didn't reach over to turn the song back up. It wasn't that she didn't like it – far from it in fact. After initially despising the elder Winchester's love of classic rock, she'd come to appreciate it. It was probably because she'd listened to nothing else for the last year and by default, her brain had changed its mind. She thought its must've been a similar process to how flooding works when trying to exterminate a phobia.

Ali didn't turn the music back up because she was pretty sure she had a migraine coming on, either from the lack of sleep or the inevitable dehydration she must've had as a result of sitting in the car all night without much of a drink.

Dean nodded, though he didn't lean across to turn the music back up either. He considered the girl riding shotgun beside him. Allison Venator. Possibly the most stubborn person he'd ever met with an attitude to mach. It was no secret that the seventeen-year-old liked to get her own way. But who didn't? Dean agreed with what Bobby had told him about the girl: she was loyal and trustworthy. And she cared about Sam.

He had to tell her.

Dean cleared his throat. "I wanna tell you about Sam." Ali's gaze snapped to him, surprised by his sudden willingness to give up the very information about his brother that had caused their argument less than twenty-four hours ago.

"Dean. You don't have to…"

"I know," he replied. "But you have a right to know." Ali didn't say anything. Dean's expression indicated that he was deep in thought and she didn't way to interfere. Whatever it was that Dean had told Sam, causing him to take off alone, it wasn't good.

"You know how Sam's been going through some stuff recently?" He spoke as if he was trying to explain to a small child that her parents were getting a divorce.

"You mean the psychic visions and demonic virus he's immune to?" Ali clarified. Dean swallowed thickly. The fact that he couldn't even bring himself to say it showed how much it scared him. He nodded.

"And you know that's not normal, right?" Ali raised a brow at the elder Winchester. Exactly how naïve did he think she was? Noticing her look, Dean attempted to explain. "I mean, you know that somehow the yellow-eyed demon is involved?"

"Yeah, the thought had crossed my mind," she replied, not quite understanding what Dean was getting at.

"Do you think Sam's dangerous?" Her frown deepened. She had not been expecting that kind of question.

"Why?"

"Before my dad died, he told me something about him," he said. Ali remained perfectly silent, waiting to hear what Dean was about to reveal. "He told me I have to save him."

"Save him from what?" Ali asked, noticing how white Dean's knuckles had become from gripping the steering wheel.

"He didn't say," he replied. "But he said that if I couldn't, I'd have to kill him." A void of silence grew inside the Impala after Dean had stopped talking. He waited nervously for the teen's reply, and when none came, he looked over to see that she was staring at him, a hopeless expression on her face. "Come on, say something," he practically begged. He couldn't handle both her and his brother being mad at him for keeping the information from them. John had begged him not to say anything.

"That's why Sam took off?" she asked finally. Dean released an anxious breath.

"Yeah," Dean replied. "He was pissed I kept it from him. God, if something's happened…"

"Sam will be okay," Ali assured him. Dean wasn't sure he believed her but he was grateful to her for trying.

"Look, I'm sorry I didn't tell you," he apologised. Ali shook her head.

"It doesn't matter," she replied. "We just gotta find Sam."

* * *

The Impala pulled into the parking lot of a motel, Dean spotting Sam through a window and sighing in relief.

"Thank god he's okay," he mumbled under his breath. He watched as Sam moved out of the way, revealing a pretty brunette woman standing beside him. "Oh, he's better than okay," he chuckled, causing Ali to shoot him a frown. She leant over so she could look through Dean's window and see Sam in the motel. She rolled her eyes at Dean when she saw the girl. "Sam, you sly dog."

"Dean," she chastised, shooting him a disapproving look. He shrugged it off, looking back out of the driver's window to watch his brother. Suddenly, there was the sound of smashing glass as the motel window shattered.

"What the hell was that?" Ali asked, straining her neck to see if she could spot where the bullets were coming from.

"Stay here!" Dean barked as they both started to panic. The elder Winchester climbed out of the Impala and out of sight as he searched for the source of the gunfire. Ali waited in the car, glancing up at the shattered window to see that Sam was no longer there. Had he been hit? She couldn't tell. She wanted to go after Dean, but he had told her to stay put. _Yeah right._

She climbed out of the car and headed in the direction she had seen him go. She came to a set of concrete steps leading up to a roof. She could hear commotion coming from above her so she ascended them, pulling out her silver knife from her boot. As she held it in her grasp, she realised she probably needed to invest in something a little more practical. Sure, the blade was ornate and would be useful against a shifter, but when it came to anything else, it wasn't going to do well up against a gun or larger knife.

She reached the roof just in time to see a riffle being slammed against Dean's head before he was knocked unconscious. _Crap_. The man had his back to her and she silently approached from behind, wielding the small blade in her hand. As she readied herself to strike, the man turned around, the rifle cocked in her direction.

"Drop it," he ordered in a low voice. Ali stared at him. He vaguely familiar, but she found she couldn't place him. He stared back at her, a small wave of shock rolling over him. Ali thought that was probably because he wasn't expecting Dean to have a teenage girl for backup. It was kind of ridiculous when she thought about it like that. Maybe she should've stayed in the Impala. "I said, drop it." She let the blade drop to the floor bracing herself for the impact that was inevitably coming. She watched Dean's unconscious body as the hunter lifted his rifle. She hoped he wouldn't be disappointed in her. Then everything went black.

* * *

A hard slap across her face caused Ali to regain consciousness. She winced at the contact, dragging her eyelids open so she could glare daggers at whoever had caused her rude awakening. The hunter stood before her in the dishevelled room and she spotted Dean behind him tied to a chair. It was then that she realised her wrists and ankles were also bound by thick rope.

"Ah crap," she cursed under her breath, her head pounding.

"Glad you could join us," the man said. "Do you know who I am?" Ali thought for a moment, trying desperately to place than man. Then it hit her.

"Gordon." She groaned at the realisation. She'd never personally spoken to the hunter before but over the time she'd spent at the Roadhouse, she'd seen him on several occasions. She also knew that Tyler had worked with him on a few hunts when he was her age, though he'd always come back from them saying that Gordon was more of a solo hunter. Ali couldn't understand why. He seemed like a bundle of laughs.

"I probably wouldn't've recognised you if you didn't look so much like your brother," he said. "And I recognised the knife." He held the silver blade in his hands as he examined the ornately sculpted handle, his finger brushing over Tyler's initials. "You know, a lot of people have been wondering what happened to you," he continued as he paced around. Ali didn't look at him, instead keeping her eyes either on the floor or on Dean who was glaring daggers at the man who held them captive.

"Oh?" she asked, trying to remain nonchalant. She wasn't going to give anything away.

"Your family were legends," Gordon said. Ali didn't both glaring at him. His words didn't matter to her. They meant nothing. "Until your parents went and got themselves killed." He let out a breath of laughter. "You know why I love that story?" he asked as he twirled her brother's silver blade in his hands. "Because it taught me that hunters aren't invincible." He enunciated each word carefully, making sure she'd heard every one clearly. He reached a hand to her face and brushed a strand of blonde hair behind her ear. "Not even a Venator." Now she glared at him, unashamed. _What a jackass._

"But we're not here to talk about that," he said, moving over to Dean. "We're here to talk about Sammy."

"You're not getting your hands on my brother," Dean spat through gritted teeth.

"I disagree," he replied. "Here's how this is going to work. We're gonna call Sam and you're gonna tell him to meet us here. You mention my name, I shoot her in the leg." Ali's muscles tensed as Gordon pointed his gun in her direction. She and the elder Winchester both remained silent as Gordon dialled Sam's number and held the phone to Dean's ear."

"Hello?" he said down the phone. Ali bit her lip. They were so screwed. "Sam, I've been looking for you." Ali held her breath as she listened to Dean's side of the conversation. "I know…yeah, I talked to Ellen. Just got here myself. It's a real funky town." At the sound of their code word, Ali looked up and was glad that Gordon was too focused on Dean to noticed. _Funky town._ Dean had managed to find a way to warm Sam. "You ditched me, Sammy…What? Who?" Sam must've told Dean that he suspected that someone was after him. "I'm staying at, uh, 5637 Monroe St. Why don't you meet me here?" Sam must've agreed because then Gordon pulled the phone away from Dean's ear and hung up.

"Now, was that so hard?" Gordon asked mockingly.

"Bite me," Dean replied. His gaze connected with Ali and he frowned at her, silently asking if she was okay. She nodded back. Gordon was rummaging through a duffle bag and pulling out weapons, no doubt things he was planning to use against Sam.

"So, Gordy," Dean started. "I know me and Sam ain't exactly your favourite people, but don't you think this is a little extreme?"

"What, you think this is revenge?" Gordon asked.

"Well, we did leave you tied up in your own mess for three days," he replied with a laugh. "Which was awesome. Sorry, I shouldn't laugh." Ali remembered the Winchesters telling her about that hunt.

"Yeah," Gordon replied. "I was definitely planning on kicking your ass for that. But that's not what this is. This isn't personal." Ali frowned at his words. _Then what the hell is it about?_ "I'm not a killer, Dean. I'm a hunter. And your brother's fair game." Ali's eyes connected with Dean's as they both shared puzzled and shocked faces. Gordon grabbed a rifle out of the duffle and walked over to the wall, leaning casually against it. "See, I was doing an exorcism down in Louisiana. Teenage girl, seemed routine, some low-level demon. But between all the jabbering and the head-spinning, the damn thing muttered something. About a coming war. And I don't think it meant to, it just kind of slipped out. But it was too late. Peaked my interest. And you can really make a demon talk if you got the right tools."

"And what happened to the girl it was possessing?" Dean asked, though Ali already suspected they both knew the answer to that question.

"She didn't make it," Gordon replied. Dean shook his head. She was just a girl. It wasn't her fault she was possessed. He pictured the teenager in his head. A girl just like Ali. Anger boiled in his gut.

"Well, you're a son of a bitch," he muttered angrily.

"This demon tells me there are soldiers to fight in this coming war. Humans, fighting on hell's side. You believe that? I mean, they're psychics, so they're not exactly pure humans, but still. What kind of worthless scumbag have you got to be to turn against your own race?" Dean's glare sharpened. He despised this man almost as much as he despised the demons he was talking about. "But you know the biggest kick in the ass? This demon said I knew one of them. Our very own Sammy Winchester." Dean chuckled, acting as if he had no idea what Gordon was talking about. Ali kept her mouth shut, her features schooled.

"Oh, this is a whole new level of moronic, even for you," Dean said.

"Yeah? Come on, Dean," Gordon said. "I know about Sam's visions. I know everything."

"Really? Because a demon told you?"

"Yeah, and it wasn't lying," he replied. "I'm not some reckless yahoo, okay? I did my homework. Made damn sure it was true. Look, you've got your Roadhouse connections, I got mine. It's how I found Sammy in the first place."

"You think Sam's stupid enough to walk through that front door?" Dean asked. He was trying to remain calm, but Ali could see how desperate he was getting.

"No, I don't," Gordon replied. "Especially since I'm sure you found a way to warn him. Sammy's going to scope the place, see me covering the front door, so he's going to take the back. And when he does he'll hit the tripwire." Gordon reached into the duffle bag again and pulled out a grenade. "Then…boom."

"Sam's not gonna fall for a friggin' tripwire," Dean protested.

"Maybe you're right. That's why I'll have a second one." Dean glared at him. "Hey, look. I'm sorry. I wish I didn't have to do this, I really do. But for what it's worth, it'll be quick." Gordon moved to the back doorway and started to set up the wire ready for when Sam showed up. Once he was finished, he walked back over to Ali and Dean, pulling up a chair between them and taking a seat.

"Come on, man," Dean begged. "I know Sam, better than anyone. He's got more of a conscience than I do, I mean, the guy feels guilty surfing the internet for porn."

"Maybe you're right," Gordon replied. "But one day he's going to be a monster."

"How? How's a guy like Sam become a monster?" Dean questioned furiously.

"Beats me," he replied with a shrug. "But he will."

"No, you don't know that!"

"I'm surprised at you, Dean. Getting all emotional. I'd heard you were more of a professional than this." The hunter turned towards Ali who had been watching on silently. "What about you? You think I'm crazy for doing this?"

"I think you're an asshole," she replied simply. Gordon shook his head.

"I'm would say I'm surprised at you too," he said. "But I'm more disappointed. After everything your family worked for, this is what's left of it. A weak, little girl."

"You don't know a damn thing about my family," Ali seethed.

"I know plenty," he replied. "You think your father would be proud of you if he knew you were protecting someone like Sam?" he asked. "You think Tyler would?"

"Shut up," Ali heard Dean shout from behind Gordon. He turned to face the elder Winchester and Ali was thankful to him to taking his focus away from her. "This has nothing to do with her."

"Look, let's say you were cruising around in that car of yours and, uh, you had Little Hitler riding shotgun, right? Back when he was just some goofy, crappy artist. But you knew what he was going to turn into someday," Gordon said. "You'd take him out, no questions, am I right?"

"That's not Sam," Dean replied.

"Yes, it is," Gordon said. "You just can't see it yet. Dean, it's his destiny. Look, I'm sympathetic. He's your brother, you love the guy. This has got to hurt like hell for you." Gordon grabbed two scarfs from the duffle bag, first using one to gag Ali and then walking over to Dean. "But here's the thing," he started, gagging Dean as well. "It would wreck him. But your dad? If it really came right down to it, he would have had the stones to do the right thing here."

Suddenly, there was a clicking noise coming from the back door as if someone was picking to lock to try to get in. Ali watched as Dean looked around, straining his neck to see behind him. Ali was facing the front room but she couldn't get see Sam at the door.

"You hear him?" Gordon asked. "Here he comes." Ali heard footsteps as she screamed, the scarf muffling her cries. She watched as Dean struggled helplessly as one of grenades exploded, filling the room with smoke and ash.

"Hold on. Not yet," Gordon said as he looked through the door to the front room. "Just wait and see." There was a second explosion as the other grenade went off, causing Dean to struggle even more violently against the roped. Ali whimpered against the scarf, her eyes watering from the smoke as more of it filled the room. Gordon stood from the chair and crossed over to the back room. "Sorry Dean," he said before disappearing into the smoke.

There was a beat of silence as Ali and Dean stared at each other, neither of them knowing whether Sam was alive or not. Then, Ali could hear the faint sound of conversation and hope sparked inside of her. Sam was alive.

"Drop the gun," she heard Sam order from the other room. "Put it down now!" Sam shouted again and both she and Dean sighed in relief. There was some kind of commotion coming from the room and a loud thump before footsteps could be heard approaching the door. Ali relaxed as Sam appeared at the door and went to untie Dean. He then moved to untie Ali's wrists as she and Dean freed themselves.

Dean stood up, squeezing Sam's shoulder before he pushed away and started towards the back room. "That son of a-."

"Dean," Sam said, cutting his brother off. "No."

"I let him live once, I'm not making the Same mistake twice," Dean said as he shook his head.

"Trust me," Sam insisted. "Gordon's taken care of." Finally, the elder Winchester nodded in agreement.

"You alright, Ali?" Sam asked as the girl rubbed her wrists. She nodded, pulling him down to her for a hug.

"It's good to see you, Sam," she said as they pulled away.

"You too," he replied. "Hey, uh, this is yours." Ali's eyes lit up as Sam handed her the silver blade he must've taken from Gordon. She took it gratefully and put it back in her boot. "Come on," he said, pulling Dean towards the exit as Ali followed them out. As they descended the stairs of the cabin, they heard shots firing at them from behind. Ali turned to look back to see that Gordon had emerged at the door, a gun in each hand. Dean pushed her forward as the trio started to run, ducking into a ditch to escape the bullets.

"You call this taken care of?" Dean said as they watched Gordon approach. "What the hell are we doing?"

"Just trust me on this, all right?" Sam insisted. Ali wanted to, but as Gordon got closer and closer, she wondered whether it might be the day she got shot. Suddenly, three police cars pulled into the road and surrounded Gordon, their sirens sounding.

"Drop your weapons, get down on your knees!" one of the cops shouted as they pulled their guns on him.

"Do it, now!" another one ordered. Ali grinned as Gordon dropped to his knees, placing his hands behind his head. One of the cops came up behind him and placed him in hand cuffs before leading him to a squad car. Ali raised a brow a Sam.

"Anonymous tip," he replied with a smirk.

"You're a fine upstanding citizen, Sam," Dean replied.

"Frickin genius, you mean," Ali corrected. Sam smiled at both of them.

"Let's get outta here."

* * *

Sam rode shotgun as the three of them drove in the Impala.

"Hey, Ava, it's Sam, again," he said as he let a message on the girl's phone. "Um, call me when you get this, just want to make sure you got home okay. All right. Bye."

"Everything all right?" Dean asked, sensing that Sam was worried.

"Yeah, I hope so," Sam replied.

"Well, Gordon should be reaching for the soap for the next few years at least," Dean said.

"Yeah. If they pin Scott Carey's murder on him. And if he doesn't bust out." Dean shook his head.

"Dude, you ever take off like that again…" Dean warned.

"What? You'll kill me?" Sam asked with a small smile. Dean shook his head again.

"That is so not funny," he replied as Sam laughed.

"All right. All right," he said. "So where to next, then?"

"One word: Amsterdam."

"Dean!"

"Come on, man," Dean pleaded. "I hear the coffeeshops don't even serve coffee."

"I'm not just gonna ditch the job," Sam said.

"Screw the job. Screw it, man, I'm sick of the job anyway. I mean, we don't get paid, we don't get thanked. The only thing we get is bad luck."

"Come on, dude, you're a hunter. I mean, it's what you were meant to do," Sam said.

"Oh, I wasn't meant to do anything, I don't believe in that destiny crap," Dean said. Sam chuckled a little, his remark reminding him of something Ali would say.

"You mean you don't believe in my destiny," Sam corrected.

"Yeah, whatever."

"Look, Dean, I've tried running before. I mean, I ran all the way to California and look what happened. You can't run from this. And you can't protect me," he insisted.

"I can try," Dean replied defiantly.

"Thanks for that," Sam said quietly, causing Dean a nod. "Look, Dean, I'm gonna keep hunting. I mean, whatever is coming, I'm taking it head-on. So, if you really want to watch my back, then I guess you're gonna have to stick around." There was a beat of silence as Dean glanced from the road over to his brother.

"Bitch."

"Jerk."

The pair grinned at each other as Sam cast a glance to the back seat where Ali was fast asleep. He smiled amusedly at her.

"Wow, she's really out of it," he said quietly to his brother, trying not to wake the exhausted girl. She must've been really tired to be able to sleep on the back seat whilst they were driving. She always complained that Dean's driving was too bumpy for her to sleep in the back.

"Yeah, she was struggling to stay awake on the way here actually," Dean replied.

"Really?" Sam asked with a frown, tossing Ali another look. "You think she'd coming down with something?"

"She's a teenager, Sam," Dean reminded him. "Don't they need like an extra eight hours or something?" It amused Sam how his brother sometimes acted like teenagers were a completely different species.

"Yeah, guess you're right," he muttered. He frowned again before grabbing his phone and holding it to his ear.

"You calling that Ava girl again?" Dean asked. "You sweet on her or something?"

"She's engaged, Dean," Sam said, rolling his eyes. She didn't pick up.

"What?" Dean asked when he noticed Sam scowling at his mobile.

"Just a feeling," he said. "How far is it to Peoria?"

They took a detour to get to Ava's house, the pair of brother's leaving a passed-out Ali in the Impala as they broke into it.

"Hello? Is anybody home?" Sam called as they entered. They went upstairs, finding a man lying dean on the bed in one of the bedrooms, the sheets soaked in his blood.

"Oh my God," Sam whispered in shock as the beam of his flashlight illuminated the horrific scene.

"Hey," he heard Dean call. He looked to his brother who was by the open window. He held up a finger that was coated in a yellow powdery substance. "Sulphur. Demon's been here." Sam frowned in concern. There was no sign of the girl. Just her dead fiancé. As he continued to scan the room with his flashlight, he caught sight of something on the floor. He knelt down and picked it up, seeing that it was an engagement ring. Ava's engagement ring. _Where was she?_

* * *

Sam had difficulty sleeping that night, and it wasn't just because of the lumpy motel mattress. He couldn't stop thinking about what could've happened to Ava. Had the demon taken her? He also couldn't stop himself from thinking about what Dean had told him. His father had told his brother that is he couldn't save he, he'd have to kill him. What was he supposed to do with that? His initial instinct had been to run – to try to find other psychics like him. That hadn't worked out too well. He didn't know what to do now. All he did know what that they needed to find out what the yellow-eyed demon was planning. And fast.

He turned over in the queen-size bed and rolled out from under the covers. Dean was sleeping soundlessly in the bed next to him, so he slipped quietly out of the motel room into the corridor. He walked to the reception area where he'd seen a vending machine the night before and put in a dollar, watching as the bottle of water fell to the bottom. As he stood, he noticed the reflection of a figure in the glass. He turned around, a little startled. He hadn't expected anyone else to be up at such an early hour of the morning. The figure sat on the concrete out of the glass doors facing away from him. He'd only noticed her reflection because of the bright red sweater she wore. He pushed on the glass door, taking in the form of the young woman as she sat in the night. He'd recognise that blonde hair anywhere.

"Ali?" he said softly as he took a seat on the steps next to her. She didn't reply or turn to look at him. Now that he had a side on view of her he could see that she had her brother's silver blade in her hand and was meticulously using it to scrape up the cement between the concrete tiles. _No. Meticulously was the wrong word,_ Sam thought. The movement was robotic. Mechanical. Her blue eyes were unblinking.

"You'll blunt the blade doing that," he offered as he watched her. She stopped abruptly and turned towards him on the steps, the knife held tightly in her hand. Sam watched it carefully. It was anxiously close to him. For a fleeting moment, the younger Winchester actually thought she might stab him with it. After a beat, she shifted the knife in her hand and tucked it into her boot. Sam relaxed.

"What're you doing up?" he asked. He wasn't sure how long she'd been sat out here alone. From the look of the crevasse she'd created in the cement, it must've been a while. He hadn't realised she'd left her motel room.

"Could ask you the same," she said, straightening herself up as she stared into the night.

"Couldn't sleep," he replied.

"Maybe you should pick up some Melatonin tomorrow," she offered. She sounded tired. Her voice wasn't quiet, but it was dull. Sam picked up his bottle of water and unscrewed the cap, taking a long sip. His throat was dry and he was glad for the drink to quench his thirst. "I going to bed," Ali announced as she stood up, turning straight away and heading back inside before Sam had a chance to even say goodnight. At first, he thought that she was mad at him. _Had he done something to cause her to be so abrupt?_ But she didn't seem mad. Just distant. It was like the whole time, she'd been far away.

He shrugged off the odd encounter and stood up himself, ready to give sleep another try. As he did, he noticed something glinting in the moonlight. He bent down to pick it up and recognised it as Ali's anklet. It must've fallen off. Sam placed the delicate piece of jewellery into his pocket and made his way back to his motel room. He'd give it back to her in the morning.

* * *

 **AN: So that was chapter 16! Hope you liked it.**

 **Thanks again to everyone who's read/followed/favourited/ reviewed this story! What do you think is coming up?**

 **Let me know what you thought, much love x**


	17. Chapter 17 - Inconsistencies

Sam returned to the motel room the next morning with three coffees and a bag of chips. It wasn't exactly a healthy breakfast but it was all he could get from the vending machines in the foyer. As he approached he and Dean's room, her groaned at the sound of raised voices coming from inside. They were supposed to be heading out early. This argument was likely going to cause delays, whatever it was about.

He swung open the door, frowning at the sight of the chaos. Clothes and bedsheets were strewn over the floor and from the way Ali was frantically pulling things out of draws, Sam could tell it was her doing. He set the bag of chips down on the dresser and watched the pair as they argued, neither of them noticing that he'd returned.

"Would you calm down for a second," Dean was telling her as he shook her head at the girl. The elder Winchester was standing by the wall, rubbing an exasperated hand over his face. "Hey, kid?" Dean called when Ali ignored him, too focused on her task to spare him a second of her attention. "Ali!" The blonde girl sat back on her heals though she didn't look up at Dean.

"I don't understand, I never take it off," she muttered in disbelief. Dean rubbed his forehead as he glanced around the room that was in complete disarray.

"Ali, I know you're having a bit of a personal crisis right now, but we gotta go," he told her. She shot him an infuriated glare.

"It has to be here!" she insisted, pulling out another draw from the dresser. Dean groaned in frustration with the girl.

"Okay," he said in defeat. "Why don't you go check your room."

"I already did like five times," she replied. "I can't believe I lost it." The elder Winchester huffed at the teen before noticing Sam for the first time at the door. He was staring at the pair incredulously.

"Thank god," Dean mumbled as he marched over to his brother and took his coffee, picking it would from the three. Two black, one latte. Sam had always found it amusing that Ali took her coffee the same way Dean did. He was sure she never did before she'd met he and his brother. Sam noticed how stressed Dean seemed as he took a sip. It was almost comical. "I gotta get outta this room, Sammy. I feel like the walls are closing in on me." Sam raised a brow at him. "Ali's having a frickin meltdown." Sam rolled his eyes at Dean's exaggeration, though from looking at the girl, she did seem upset.

"What happened?" he asked.

"She can't find her damn bracelet," he grumbled. Sam sighed, realising hitting him.

"You mean her anklet? The one her mom gave her?" Sam corrected. He could feel the weight of it in his pocket.

"Look, I dunno Sam, would you just help her look," he said, taking another sip of his coffee. "I'll go check us out." Sam nodded as Dean exited the room. He placed the remaining two coffees on the dresser by the chips and tucked a hand into his pocket, pulling out the piece of jewellery belonging to the blonde girl.

"Hey, Ali?" he called. The girl stopped what she was doing and looked up. Sam noticed that her eyes were beginning to water. A tear had slipped halfway down her cheek. He instantly felt guilty. "Is this what you're looking for?" He held out the anklet to her and she jumped up, pulling it out of his hand carefully as if it were made of glass.

"Oh my god," she said as she wiped her eyes, laughing a little at herself for getting so emotional about a piece of jewellery. Sam smiled back at her, watching how her blue eyes lit up at the site of something she thought was lost. It was clear how much it meant to her.

"You okay?" he asked with a small chuckle. She nodded with a small laugh of her own.

"Thanks," she replied. "Where'd you find it?"

"On the steps outside," he replied. "It must've fallen off last night." Ali looked up at him, her brow furrowed.

"What do you mean?"

"Last night?" Sam repeated. "When you were sitting outside on the steps." Ali shook her head, confusion written across her face.

"I wasn't outside last night," she said. Sam frowned. She _had_ been outside the previous night, hadn't she? The younger Winchester opened his mouth to protest but before he had a chance, Dean walked back into the room.

"Good, you found it," he said when he spotted the piece of jewellery in Ali's hand. "Go get your stuff." Ali nodded, shooting Sam another smile of gratitude before exiting the room. Dean began to clear up the room, starting with the sheets and finishing with the drawers that Ali had pulled out of the dresser.

"Hey Sam?" he heard his brother call, snapping his fingers towards him when he hadn't moved in a few minutes. Sam shook his head, coming out of his confused state to see that Dean was staring at him. "You ready to go?" Sam nodded, grabbing his bag from the corner and heading outside to the Impala.

He could already tell that it was going to be a long day.

* * *

The Impala cruised down Interstate 80 through after leaving the motel in Denison. Bobby had called early that morning asking for help on a hunt in South Dakota. They'd quickly agreed and headed out as soon as possible. Dean drove, as usual, with Sam riding shotgun whilst Ali slept in the back. Sam frowned at the sleeping blonde girl as she dozed. Once again, she was fast asleep in the middle of the day. Maybe it was from the lack of sleep she'd got from the previous night. As they headed for Sioux Falls, Sam found his mind wandering to all the possible reasons why Ali couldn't remember the little encounter they'd had the night before. Maybe it'd just slipped her mind. Maybe she was too tired to remember. Maybe she did remember, but for some reason, she was saying she didn't. It was true. The encounter had been a strange one. In fact, Sam would go as far as to say that it was almost like in that moment, she wasn't really _Ali_. It was weird.

"Hey Dean?"

"Hmm?" he mumbled in acknowledgement.

"Has Ali ever mentioned anything to you about sleepwalking?" As the words left his mouth, Sam knew the question was ridiculous, but it seemed like the obvious explanation, and the only one he was willing to consider at that time.

"Sleepwalking?" Dean repeated. "No. Why?" Sam sighed. Maybe if he told Dean what'd happened, he'd be able to help him figured it out. Either that or he'd tell him to stop being overly worried and paranoid.

"It's just…last night…" he began, but was cut off by the sound of Dean's cell phone ringing.

"Hold on," Dean said, answering the phone and pressing it to his ear. "Yeah?" he barked down the phone. Sam heard Ali stir in the back seat. "Bobby, hey," Dean greeted before putting the phone on speaker so the whole car could listen. "We'll be with you in a couple hours."

 _"_ _No, you won't,"_ Bobby replied. _"_ _Y'all gotta get your asses to North Platte, Nebraska."_

"What?" Sam asked. "Bobby, what's going on?"

 _"_ _Friend of mine called. Said there's been reports of seven missing persons and four dead in the last month,"_ Bobby said.

"Yikes," Dean replied. "D'you know what did it?"

 _"_ _Not sure,"_ Bobby admitted. _"_ _I suggest you check out the vics when you get there."_

"What about you, Bobby?" Dean asked. They were supposed to be helping the older man with a hunt on his own.

"I can handle a few vengeful spirits," Bobby replied, causing Sam and Dean to chuckle. "Just get down to North Platte. Stat."

* * *

It was later that day that Sam was in the hospital morgue posing as a federal agent in order to gain access to one of the bodies. After hanging up on Bobby, Allison had woken up, meaning he'd yet to have a chance to talk to Dean alone. Sam knew he needed to focus on the case and forget his odd encounter with the teen the night before, but there was something about the way she'd been. Absent. It had chilled Sam right to the bone and he wasn't sure why. All he knew was that whatever the feeling was, he couldn't shake it.

Sighing, Sam pulled open the locker and slid the body out of it. It was a woman who appeared to be in her early thirties. He checked her head first before looking over her neck. He groaned inwardly at the bite marks on her neck. _Vampire._ It was strange. They'd encountered an unusual amount of them over the last few months. This would surely make Ali even more irritable. She hated vampires. Something about it confused Sam though. The patterns didn't add up. Apart from the obvious puncture wounds to the victim's neck, nothing else about the case screamed _vampires._

Instead of staying in the morgue, he decided to let his thoughts stew back at the diner where he knew Dean and Ali were. He took a quick photograph of the wounds on his phone to show his brother and slide the body back into the locker. He'd seen enough dead bodies for now.

It didn't take Sam long drive the Impala to the Michelle's Diner. Once he'd spotted the pair sitting in a booth, he slid in next to Ali, forking the mushrooms off the side of her plate that he knew she wouldn't eat.

"What've you got?" Dean asked as he chewed his breakfast.

"Well, it looks like vampires," he said, causing Ali to groan. He knew it.

"No way," Dean said shaking his head. "The patterns all wrong." Sam nodded.

"What I thought," he replied.

"So, what bites like a vampire, but isn't one?" Dean asked, his eyes flicking between Ali and his brother who sat opposite him. Ali shrugged.

"I'll check dad's journal," Sam replied. He waited whilst they finished their meals before heading back to the Impala and driving to the local motel to get two rooms. As they checked in, Sam couldn't help but wonder if getting two rooms was a good idea. Part of him didn't want to leave Ali alone for any extended period of time. It felt dangerous and Sam would only blame himself if anything happened, though he wasn't exactly sure what could happen.

He caught up to his brother as they went to put their bags down in their respective rooms, finally glad that he was able to get him alone.

"Hey Dean?" he said.

"Hmm?"

"Does Ali seem a little… irritable to you?" He felt stupid asking but he had to know if Dean had picked up on anything too.

"You mean more so than usual?" he asked with a small chuckle.

"I'm serious, Dean," Sam replied.

"I dunno, Sam. She was upset this morning," he said. Sam shook his head, not finding Dean's contribution very helpful. "Well, what do you want me to say? She's a teenager. They're always irritable." Sam rolled his eyes. Dean had a tendency to think of teenagers as an entirely different species. He bet he'd even claim he never was one.

"Forget it," Sam replied. He grabbed his father's journal from his bag and began to leaf through it, looking for any monster that resembled a vampire. Dean was in and out of the room, as was Ali, but Sam remained, reading every case carefully to make sure he didn't miss anything. After what seemed like an endless about of research, he finally found something that seemed to fit the bill.

"Vetala," Sam read. "They feed on human blood just like vampires."

"Vetala?" Ali questioned. "Never heard of it."

"Neither have I," Sam replied. "Dad hunted one years ago. It says here that they have superhuman strength and paralysing venom that knocks the victim out cold."

"Did John say if they hunt in packs or alone?" Ali questioned. The younger Winchester flicked though the old pages of his father's journal to check.

"It says it was alone," he replied.

"Sounds easy," Ali replied with a smirk. Sam nodded.

"Where's Dean?"

"He went to get coffee," Ali replied, looking at her watch. "Like an hour ago. Probably hooked up with the barista." Sam chuckled.

"Okay, well I got a few ideas about where the Vetala could be," Sam said. "Guess we'll just have to wait for him to get back." Ali groaned.

"He could be gone for hours," she whined, causing Sam to grimace. He didn't really want to think about what Dean was up to. "This Vetala sounds easy enough to take down. What kills it?"

"Silver," Sam replied.

"Great," Ali replied. "I got a silver knife. Let's go."

"Woah, wait a second," Sam said. "We should wait for Dean."

"Why?" Ali asked. "Need your big brother to hold your hand?" Sam scowled at her. She sighed. "Look, me and you can go find where this thing is lurking and then Dean can help us take it down when he'd done with… whatever he'd doing. We'll save a bunch of time. Might even get to Bobby's by morning." She had a point, and it was no secret that she wanted to see Bobby more than anything. He was like her father, and Sam knew what that meant. Even if there was only a slight possibility of Bobby getting hurt on a hunt, Ali wanted to be there to ensure that didn't happen.

"Fine," Sam replied. "But we should let Dean know."

"I'll text him now," Ali replied. "I gotta get my jacket. Meet you in the car park in five?" Sam nodded, watching as she left the room. Something about the situation made him feel uncomfortable, but Ali was right. This was a simple hunt and the two of them could easily take care of one Vetala if it came to it.

* * *

She met Sam in the parking lot and since Dean had taken the Impala when he went to 'get coffee,' the pair would have to walk. Ali didn't mind. In fact, she liked the fresh air. It was a nice change from being cooped up in the back seat all day or sitting in a small motel room. The day, although not particularly warm, was sunny, the rays of light casting delicate shadows as they burst through the thin clouds.

"So, where are we going?" Ali asked as they walked side by side along the street.

"Well, I checked the records, and all the people who've gone missing were last seen in that park," he replied, pointing up ahead to an area of green grass that stretched across the back of a row of houses. It seemed secluded from the rest of the town, and deserted, which wasn't surprising considering the number of people who'd turned up missing over the last few weeks.

"So, what's the plan?" Ali asked.

"I doubt it will show at this time of day, so, we can check out the places people were taken from," he replied. "See if there are any clues as to where it might be hiding out." Ali nodded as they entered the park. Large portions of it had been cornered off with police tape, but there didn't appear to be any cops around. This prompted Sam and Ali to take no notice of the restrictions and walk straight through the crime scenes, check for any signs of supernatural activity.

It hadn't been long before they both heard a muffled scream coming from the wooded area of the park. Sam and Ali immediately grabbed their silver knives and ran in the direction of it. Once they were closer, they hid behind a tree and peered out, spotting a young woman being held up against a tree trunk by her neck. The thing that was holding her looked like a woman too, but its eyes were like snake's eyes and sharp fangs protruded from under her lips.

"It's gonna bite her," Ali whispered to Sam urgently.

"I know," Sam replied, both of them trying to come up with a solution. "Cover me," Sam instructed before suddenly racing out from their position of cover and slamming into the creature, pushing it to the ground and away from the woman. Ali watched as Sam tried to stab the Vetala in the heart, but it was too strong and managed to overpower him. She ran forward, blade braced in her hand as she charged at the monster. To her surprise, however, the woman, who had seemingly narrowly escaped a horrible fate, was now grabbing Sam too. Ali stopped in her tracks, watching as fangs descended from her jaw as well.

There were two of them.

"Ali run!" Sam yelled, but there was no way Ali was going to leave him. Before she had a chance to attack, the second Vetala had managed to sink its fangs into Sam's neck, and he fell to the ground, unconscious. The two creatures' attention was now on her, and Ali realised that her chances of taking down both of them alone were very slim. Although they'd lost their element of surprise that had allowed them to overpower Sam, she knew they were strong. She didn't stand a chance. One of them lunged towards her, and Ali decided that although she didn't want to, she didn't have a choice but to run.

Her legs carried her back to the motel parking lot where she was startled to see Dean storming out of foyer. He looked pissed, and when he saw her, he looked even more pissed.

"What the hell, Ali?" he asked when he saw her anxious, out of breath form sprint towards him. "Where's Sam?"

"We were in the park," she said was she panted. "They were there, we saw them. Sam got taken."

"God's sakes, Ali, I told you to wait for me!" Dean barked as he pulled open the door to the Impala. Ali slid in to the passenger seat, a frown on her face.

"What are you talking about?" she questioned.

"I specifically told you that Vetalas hunt in pairs," Dean reminded her. "Did you not tell Sam?"

"What?" Ali questioned, completely baffled as to what Dean was talking about.

"I called you up and told you to wait for me!"

"No, you didn't," she argued.

"Yes, I did," Dean protested.

"Dean, I think I'd remember a conversation like that," she replied as Dean gunned the engine and sped off in the direction of the park.

"Yeah," he replied angrily. "You'd think you'd remember to tell Sam something important like 'hey, Vetalas hunt in pairs so we probably wanna wait for Dean before we go off by ourselves, completely blind!'" Ali huffed, but decided not to argue anymore. They needed to find Sam.

* * *

Sam Winchester woke in a bright room. His eyes were ringing and his eyes neck stung from the open wound the Vetala's fangs had left. The room seemed to be a motel room, though not the motel he'd been staying at. His muscles felt weak, probably from the paralysing venom that hadn't fully worn off yet. He struggled with the rope that had his wrists tied behind his back as he sat on the chair, hoping they he could get them loose, when he felt a presence behind him and a finger pressed against his neck. Sam winced at the contact on his raw skin.

The woman walked in front of him as she sucked on her finger that was coated in Sam's blood. She gave a satisfied hum as she swallowed, causing him to feel a little nauseous.

"You're a hunter," she said, her gaze shifting over his form as he sat on the chair. He didn't say anything as a reply. "Your little friend. Is she a hunter too?" He still gave no reply. She advanced towards him, letting her fangs slide down as her eyes turned snake-like. "Answer me," she instructed threateningly, her teeth centre meters from his skin.

"Emily," a voice said in warning. Both Sam and Emily turned to see the other Vetala by the door. "Don't hurt hum just yet," she said with a smirk.

"Why not?" Emily replied, casting an almost lustful look over Sam's body. "I'm hungry."

"He's a hunter," she said. "Which means his friend, his _hunter_ friend will come looking for him. We can use him to get her, and then we kill both of them." Sam's features hardened. Neither of them were going to lay a fang on Ali. He realised, though, that they had an advantage. They two Vetalas didn't know about Dean. Sam hoped that he and Ali had met up and were on their way to rescue him and defeat the monsters.

"What's the point," Emily questioned. "She didn't look like much. She ran away like a coward."

"But he had silver," the other Vetala said. "Which means she probably does too. We need to take both of them out, otherwise she might call for backup." Sam hoped she already had.

"Fine," Emily replied. "But I want first taste." Sam shuddered at the thought of ending up like the other victims. He tried the ropes again and found that he was gradually able to loosen them, though he thought it would take a while before he was completely free.

Suddenly, the motel room door burst open, revealing Dean. The Vetala who's name Sam didn't know was closest to the door and it didn't take long before the elder Winchester had driven the silver knife through her heart and twisted it, killing the monster instantly. He rounded upon the second one, Emily, who was a fair distance away from Sam, meaning Dean didn't have to worry about her getting to him before he got to her. He was about to lunge for her, when Ali ran into the room wielding her blade and ran at the Vetala. She was too slow, and before Sam could process what was happening, Emily had knocked the blade out of Ali's hand and had her in a tight grip.

"Drop it," she hissed at Dean, her fangs hovering over Ali's neck, threatening to tear into her flesh at any moment. Dean reluctantly did as he was told, his teeth gritting together as he stared at the Vetala.

"Okay, easy," Dean said. "Let's talk about this."

"You hunters think you're so invincible," she said, clearly angered that Dean had killed her friend. "You walk around thinking that you're at the top of the food chain, but you're not." Sam could see Emily's grip tighten around Ali's throat. He needed to do something, and fast. When he'd just about managed to loosen the ropes around his wrists all the way, he quickly grabbed Ali's knife from the floor and stabbed the Vetala in the back, twisting the blade to kill the creature permanently.

Emily released Ali instantly and Sam watched as she fell to the ground, her skin turning brown and gritty as her body desiccated in front of them. Once he was sure she was dead, he handed the knife back to Ali, who took it with a shaky hand. Sam thought that was odd. He also thought it was odd that she'd ran into the room so recklessly, jeopardizing not only her life, but also his and Dean's. That wasn't like her. He would've commented on it, but from the look on Dean's face, Sam knew he'd be having a word of his own with the girl.

"Let's get outta here," Dean mumbled finally, grabbing his own knife from the floor before heading out without another word.

* * *

As Dean lay in the queen-size bed that night, he thought about the conversation he'd had with Ali. He'd started off by reminding her how incredibly stupid it was of her to barge in like that when it wasn't part of the plan. She'd nearly gotten herself killed, and if that happened, Dean would never be able to live with himself. Inevitably, the conversation had led to another argument over the alleged phone conversation they'd had. At first, Dean had thought she was lying, but now he wasn't so sure. In fact, she'd been so adamant that the conversation didn't happen that Dean wondered that maybe he was the one that'd imagined it.

But that was impossible. Dean remembered the phone call clearly.

It had only been moments after Ali had texted him saying that she and Sam were going after the Vetala when the elder Winchester had called her back, informing her at how stupid they were being.

 _"_ _You and Sam can't take this case on your own,"_ he said angrily down the phone. He'd been in the company of the barista at the coffee shop at the time he'd received the message. Her break was only ten minutes. Dean didn't want to waste a second of it.

 _"_ _Why not?"_ Ali had asked.

 _"_ _Because Vetalas hunt in pairs,"_ Dean had revealed.

 _"_ _How'd you know that?"_ she'd questioned. _"_ _Sam said they hunt alone."_

 _"_ _Sam doesn't know,"_ Dean had said with a sigh. _"_ _I figured it out when he was at Stanford."_

 _"_ _Fine,"_ Ali had replied. _"_ _How long will you be?"_

 _"_ _Not long,"_ he'd said. _"_ _Wait for me, okay?"_ She'd agreed, hanging up the phone as Dean pulled his pants back on. He'd apologised profusely to the barista, taking down her number on the back of his hand, coincidently forgetting to take down her name. He still wasn't sure what it was.

He rolled over on his side. The conversation _had_ happened. The question was, why didn't Ali think it had?

The question stayed with Dean all night and soaked through to the next morning when they were driving to South Dakota. Bobby had let them know that the hunt was under control, but Dean had said they'd still come. They'd all missed the older hunter, and maybe he'd be able to enlighten them on some of the strange things that had been occurring.

Dean watched Ali in the rear-view mirror. Once again, she'd fallen asleep. What had happened to her that had suddenly made her so tired over the last few weeks? He glanced sideways to Sam who he caught also staring back at the teen. They'd both noticed that something was up, and Dean needed to find out what.

"So, uh, what was that you were asking about yesterday?" Dean questioned. Sam shot him a confused look. Dean rolled his eyes. He had been hoping to not have to say it out loud. "About the sleep walking?" Sam rubbed his forehead exasperatedly.

"Dude, are you serious?" Sam asked. Whatever was going on, it clearly had nothing to do with sleepwalking.

"No," Dean said, shaking his head and brushing it off as a joke. Maybe that was all this was. A joke. Some kind of misunderstanding. The more he thought about it, the more he thought he was just being paranoid. What could possibly be going on with Ali that he didn't know about? He spent practically every waking moment with the girl. If something _actually_ serious was going on, he'd know. Wouldn't he?

* * *

 **AN: Hope you liked this chapter.**

 **What do you think is going on with Ali?**

 **Let me know what you thought, much love x**


	18. Chapter 18 - Lose Your Mind

Dean was worried about Ali. It was as simple as that. She'd been acting strangely for weeks now and he wasn't sure why. Sam had suggested that maybe the hunting was getting too much, along with the fact that she was still grieving over the loss of her parents. Sam had also thought that maybe some of it was his fault - that maybe everything that was going on with Sam's visions was heightening the stress Ali was feeling.

Dean disagreed strongly with this opinion. He knew Ali. She was strong. Strong enough to deal with everything that was going on. She had thicker skin than most, but then what could explain the sudden stress that seemed to occupy her mind at all times? The forgetfulness? The exhaustion and anxiety that radiated off of her?

And then there was what had happened a few nights ago.

It was the night after they'd exorcised Meg from Sam's body and the three of them had spent the night at Bobby's place. The older hunter had gone out. Dean couldn't remember why. After getting shot in the shoulder, he'd drunk most of the bottle of whisky that Bobby had given him. He'd left Sam downstairs in the kitchen. It was clear the younger Winchester wasn't going to be getting any sleep that night, no matter how much Dean tried to persuade him to. As he ascended the stairs, all Dean wanted to do was go to bed, but something, maybe instinct, made him walk in the opposite direction down the hall towards Ali's room.

He tried the handle first, but it was locked. She tended to do that. It didn't make Dean think that anything out of the ordinary was going on. All he'd wanted to do was check on her, to see if she was doing okay after the day's ordeals. It wasn't easy for any of them seeing Sam's body being used as a puppet.

Dean turned to leave, but then something caught his attention. He could hear someone moving around inside. He turned back, pressing his ear to the door.

 _"_ _Ali?"_ he'd murmured through the door, before a blood curdling scream echoed through the house. Dean went into hunter mode, jamming his elbow into the door to try and force it open.

 _"_ _Ali!"_ he yelled. Was there someone in her room with her? Maybe another demon? She wouldn't stop screaming. She sounded terrified and in pain. Dean could hear footsteps on the stairs and he knew it was Sam. However, he didn't wait for his brother to be by his side before he kicked the door in, adrenaline pumping through his veins, ready to fight.

He'd stopped dead in his tracks. Out of all the things he'd expected to see, what he saw wouldn't have even been on the list. Dean felt his brother's presence behind him as he stepped into the room. They both stared. Stared at the blonde girl who was sleeping soundlessly in her bed. There was no demon. No screaming anymore. She looked peaceful, and from the rise and fall of her chest, Dean knew she was alive.

They didn't tell Bobby about the incident. Sam had wanted to, but Dean had convinced him otherwise. In fact, they didn't tell Ali about it either. In trying to determine what could've happened, the Winchesters had decided it was a nightmare. That was plausible. Ali had more than her fair share of reasons to have scream worthy nightmares. But Dean didn't really believe it was just a nightmare, and he didn't think Sam did either.

"Ready to go," Sam asked, pulling Dean from his thoughts. He and Sam had headed out to a diner for some food when they'd arrived in St Charles, Minnesota that night. They'd left Ali in her motel room since she's said she wanted to get some rest. At first, Dean hadn't wanted to leave her alone, but then Sam had insisted that she'd be fine for an hour or two. Besides, it had given the Winchesters a chance to discuss her situation.

"Yeah," Dean replied, pulling out his wallet and dropping a twenty on the table. He winced as he stood, rubbing his left shoulder where it still hadn't fully healed from the gunshot wound he had received from Sam when he'd been possessed by Meg.

They headed out quickly, taking the Impala back to the motel. Tomorrow, they needed to start working properly on the case. They'd stumbled upon the hunt earlier that day, having discovered that a young woman had gone missing whilst on a date with her boyfriend. The report had stated that the young couple had heard a funny noise as they walked home on night. Before the man knew what was happening, his girlfriend had disappeared.

"Get some rest," Dean told Sam as they walked down the corridor to their room. "I'm gonna check on Ali." Sam nodded tiredly and headed into the room. Since that night, the elder Winchester had made it a habit to always check on her before he went to bed.

Dean crossed the corridor, knocking twice on the door before he opened it. "Ali?" he called as he entered the room. He glanced to the bed, expecting to see the girl sleeping soundlessly under the covers. The bed was empty. He stepped fully into the room, letting the door slam shut behind him as he flicked on the lights. "Ali?"

The bathroom door swung open, revealing the girl in question. At the sight of her, Dean released a breath he didn't realised he'd been holding. She stumbled into the room, her hand fumbling for the handle to close the bathroom door. "Sorry, I thought you'd be asleep," Dean said, his brow furrowing when he noticed that the girl was still dressed in her clothes from the day. She was even still wearing her combat boots.

"Couldn't sleep," Ali said, her words slurring as she made her way to the bed, her movements making it look like she was struggling to put one foot in front of the other. Dean watched her cautiously, his eyes shifting over to the half empty bottle of whisky on the bed side table. He narrowed his eyes at her.

"Are you drunk?" he asked incredulously. Ali rolled her eyes as she grabbed the bottle.

"Don't be so dramatic," she drawled taking a sip from the bottle and banging it back on the side. Dean stared at her, feeling a flash of anger and most of all shock.

"What the hell, Ali?" he asked in a raised voice.

"What? So it's okay for Sam to get wasted on a hunt but when it's me you get all pissy?" she asked, referring to one of the last hunts at the haunted hotel where Sam had drowned his sorrows with some hard liquor. Dean raised a brow as if he couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"You're seventeen, Ali. It's not okay for you to get wasted. Period." She rolled her eyes again as Dean made his way over to her, grabbing the bottle from the night stand. The blonde girl wobbled on her feet as she tried to kick off her boots.

"Don't tell me what to do," the girl mumbled defiantly, her limbs not coordinating properly and causing her to stumble to the ground.

"What's that?" Dean asked as he stared down at her on the floor.

"I said, don't tell me what to do," Ali repeated through gritted teeth. Dean pinched the bridge of his nose, slamming the bottle into the dresser.

"Well someone's got to," Dean said. Ali scoffed. "You wanna be a hunter? Quit acting like a brat." Ali scowled at him. "Your attitude sucks." Dean felt a hint of regret at his words when Ali's gaze fell, her head falling into her hands, though that could've been more to do with the headache that was inevitably coming on. He sighed as his features softened, bending down to help the girl to her feet. She flinched when his hand contacted her arm.

"Don't touch me," she through gritted teeth. She looked a mess and although Dean didn't want to upset her, she really was in no condition to protect.

"You need to go to bed," he said with a sigh, coming around behind her and placing his hands under her arms. "Come on," he muttered as he pulled her up as gently as possible. She staggered to the bed once he had her standing, her limbs suddenly growing floppy as the full force of her exhaustion mixed with alcohol hit her. He pulled the covers over her, not bothering to help her undress. She could do that herself in the morning.

"Sorry," she muttered as her eyes fell shut. Dean sighed as he made his way to the door, grabbing the bottle on the way and flicking out the lights.

"Get some rest, kiddo."

* * *

After what Dean had told him the night before, Sam wasn't surprised to find Ali throwing up in the bathroom the next morning. Dean had made it clear that he didn't particularly want to interact with the teenager that morning. Sam had even heard him mumbling to himself how he was sick of her attitude and reckless behaviour. That was why the younger Winchester had taken it upon himself to check in on Ali before they headed out.

She exited the bathroom when she saw him, wiping a hand across her mouth and flopping down on the bed on her back, her feet hanging off the end.

"Feeling alright?" Sam asked. She shot him a glare causing Sam to chuckle. "Yeah, hangovers suck."

"I don't know what happened," she groaned, massaging her aching skull. "I couldn't sleep. And I knew Dean had a bottle in your room. I just needed to clear my head. All I can think about is that damn demon." Sam raised a brow at her. "Meg? She got away?" Sam nodded in understanding. "I know she knows something about Tyler's death," she said. "Maybe she even knows which demon did it."

"Ali," Sam said with a sigh. "We'll find Meg. We'll find the demon who killed your brother."

"How?" she asked, sitting up on the bed and throwing her arms in the air. "He's been dead for nearly seven years. The only demon I've ever met who knows anything is gone. How are we gonna find out what happened with no leads?"

"It's our job," Sam replied. "We'll get the demon who did it." Ali wanted to argue. She wanted to shake her head in denial at him and scream that they would never find the demon even if they hunted it for one hundred years. But there was something sincere in the younger Winchester's eyes, and Ali couldn't help but believe his every word. She nodded slowly and Sam shot her a tight-lipped smile. She sighed, trying to shake off the heaviness she felt.

"So how mad is he?" Sam knew she was asking about Dean.

"He's not mad," Sam replied nonchalantly, pulling out a plastic bottle filled with a strange green concoction. Ali grimaced at it as he unscrewed the cap. "Drink, it'll help with the head." Ali took the bottle wearily as Sam sat down next to her on the bed.

"It smells repulsive," she said as her nostrils flared.

"Yeah it doesn't taste any better," he muttered. "Drink." Ali sighed and took a sip, her face twisting in disgust at the vile liquid as it ran over her taste buds.

"Remind me to never get drunk again," she said, causing Sam to chuckle as he saluted a finger at her. "He's mad, isn't he?"

"He's not mad, Ali," Sam replied consistently.

"I can tell you're lying," she pointed out.

"Oh?"

"You're always extra nice to me when I've done something to piss Dean off," she revealed. Sam chuckled.

"I promise he isn't mad." Another lie. Ali decided to ignore it. She knew he was just trying to make her feel better. In fact, it surprised her how relaxed Sam seemed around her that morning. Recently, it'd been like he was walking on eggshells around her. She took another big gulp from the bottle before she decided she was done with Sam's homemade hangover cure. She didn't even want to ask what was in it.

"Is Dean around?" she asked, climbing to her feet. "We should probably get going on the case."

"The case?" Sam questioned. "Don't you think it would be best to stay here? I'm sure Dean would-."

"Would what, Sam?" She raised her brows at him in mock confusion. "All that's gonna happen if I stay is Dean will make some snarky comment about drinking on the job and that he would've called Bobby but he'd only be disappointed." She spoke the latter half of her sentence in a low, gruff tone as if to imitate the elder Winchester's voice.

"Yeah, you're probably right," he replied. There was a moment of silence between the two as they sat side by side, both staring at the wall ahead of them. They were both tired. They both knew they needed to get going on the case, but neither had the energy or will power to move. It was as if they were both being crushed by the weight of whatever was happening to the other. Things that neither of them really understood.

Ali released a breath.

"We should go," she said, standing up before handing the half empty bottle back to the younger Winchester. "Thanks, Sam."

"Any time," he muttered, following her out of the room.

* * *

The Impala didn't exactly give the most inconspicuous vantage point for a stake-out, but it was good enough for what they needed. The Winchester brothers were dressed in their FBI suits, waiting for the boyfriend of the victim to make it home from his job at the diner.

Sam had argued that the formal stake-out wasn't necessary, but Dean had insisted on it. Ali thought it was probably because it gave an excuse for the awkward silence that would've inevitably filled the car, accompanied by passive aggressive looks from Dean through the rear-view mirror. This way, they had a reason to be silent and a target, outside the car, to focus on.

"Here he comes," Dean muttered to himself as he peered through the binoculars. The young man exited his car and made his way towards the front door.

"He sure looks like a prick," he heard Ali mutter from the back seat as the man disappeared into the house.

"You barely got a glimpse of him," Dean shot back, staring ahead at the closed door. "Let's go." His words were directed at Sam, and he made sure Ali knew that.

"I guess I'll wait in the car then," he heard her mumble bitterly as he and Sam climbed out of the Impala.

"Try not to throw up on my seats," he said coldly, slamming the door behind him and striding off towards the house.

"Was that really necessary?" Sam asked as he caught up with his brother.

"No," Dean replied. "But it did make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside." Sam rolled his eyes at the sarcastic comment. He knew Dean wouldn't like Ali coming on the case with them, but he'd also agreed with the girl when she said Dean wouldn't like it if she didn't come as well. Either way, when Dean was pissed off, any decision was the wrong one.

Dean knocked on the door and it only took a few moments before the young man opened the door.

"Scott Kelley?" Dean asked, flashing his fake identification badge at the kid. He nodded. "My name is Agent Bell, this is my partner Agent Peterman. We're here to talk to you about the incident the other night."

"I already told the police everything I know," he said defensively.

"We know," Sam replied. "We just want to clarify a few details. Can we come in?" There was a moment whilst Scott looked between the two brothers apprehensively, before nodding and stepping aside.

"Could you tell us what happened on the night Celia Reyes went missing?" Dean asked when they'd made it to the kitchen. Scott took a seat at the table, his fingers drumming nervously on the surface.

"Celia and I were walking home after the movies. My car had a flat tire and it we weren't that far away from my house. We went down this alley to get home when we heard this noise."

"What kind of noise?" Sam asked with a frown.

"It was like a scratching noise. Celia freaked, so I went on ahead to see what it was." He paused, his eyes growing sad. "When I turned around, she was just gone."

"And Celia was your girlfriend?" Dean clarified.

"Yeah," Scott confirmed. "We'd only been dating about two months."

"And on the night that she disappeared, did you notice anything else out of the ordinary?"

"You mean besides my girlfriend's disappearance into thin air?" he asked incredulously. "No. Nothing else but the noise. Up until that point, everything was perfect."

"Right," Sam said, shooting the kid a sad smile. "That's all we needed. I'm sorry for your loss." Scott nodded in thanks before showing Sam and Dean out. As the pair walked back to the Impala, their minds were focused on what Scott had said. He was the only witness to the apparent abduction of his girlfriend. Whatever had taken her hadn't left any evidence behind, meaning that apart from the 'scratching noise' Scott had heard, they didn't have much to go on. They'd need clearer indications as to what was going on if they were going to be able to find out what had happened to the young woman.

* * *

"So you didn't try to get anything else outta him?" Ali asked with raised brows at she stared at the Winchesters across the diner table. After working on the case for a few hours back at the motel room, they'd decided to head out for some food. Dean and Ali had still barely spoken apart from about details of the case that Dean was growing more and more resistant to share with the girl.

"We were checking facts," Sam replied. "Not interrogating him."

"You should've," she replied under her breath. "They guy looked shady as fuck at the door." Dean shot her a dirty look, silently chastising her for her language. He never usually acted as the swearing police, but he was already in a pissed off mood.

"He's not a suspect," Sam continued.

"Well maybe he should be," Ali argued. "I mean, who leaves their girlfriend alone when they hear a creepy noise down a dark alley?"

"That doesn't make him guilty," Dean cut in with a sigh. "Let's get outta here. I don't wanna be stuck in this town all weekend."

Sam stayed to pay for the food as Ali and Dean headed out of the diner to pick up the car. As they were about to clamber into the Impala, Ali spoke up.

"Hey, isn't that him?" she asked. Dean looked up to spot the kid dressed in a similar uniform to the waiters and waitresses in the diner they had just left.

"Must have another shift," Dean commented. He watched as the kid walked closer and ducked into the car, not wanting him to notice them there. Things could get awkward if he did.

"Let's go say hi," he heard Ali mutter, much to his annoyance.

"Great idea," he said sarcastically. "Why don't I go have sex with a vampire too." He shivered at the thought. "Come on, let's go." He was about to start the engine when he realised Ali wasn't getting in the car.

"Ali, come on," he called, looking behind and out of the back window to see that she was no longer standing next to the Impala. "Dammit," he muttered, unbuckling his belt and getting out of the car. "Hey, get back here," he yelled, watching as Ali approached Scott across the street. She didn't listen. He rubbed a hand across when Scott noticed her, realised it was too late to make their inconspicuous getaway. However, it wasn't until he noticed the blonde teen shove the young man against the wall that he ran over.

"Hey!" he shouted as he got closer, his fury with the girl's behaviour starting to boil over.

"Why would you leave her alone, huh?" she was shouting at him through gritted teeth. It was only then that Dean caught sight of the silver knife that was pressed to Scott's throat. His blood ran cold. "Did you kill her?"

"No, I swear," the man whimpered. "I had nothing to do with it!"

"You're lying!"

"Hey, easy!" Dean warned, his arms outstretched towards the girl as he tried to coax her into backing down. "Drop the knife, Ali."

"You know this crazy bitch?" Scott asked as she pressed the blade harder against him.

"Shut up!" she yelled in his face. "I know he's guilty, Dean. I can feel it."

"This isn't how we do things," he told her, trying desperately not to set her off. "Just put down the knife." She didn't show any indication of budging. Dean heard footsteps behind him and he knew it was Sam. "Come on, let him go."

"No," she said defiantly. "I'm no letting another monster get away." She spat the words like they tasted vulgar on her lips.

"Ali, what're you going?" Sam asked.

"What needs to be done." Her dark eyes flickered towards the man beneath her blade. "Now tell me what you know!"

"Ali!" Dean barked at her. "Stand down! For god sakes, you have no proof that this guy's done anything."

"Dean's right," Sam said, his voice calm. "Come on, put the knife down," he said. "Let him go." There was a pause, a deafening silence where the seconds seemed to elongate to infinite lengths. Then, finally, Ali loosened her grip on the young man and let her silver knife fall to the ground. Sam stepped forwards tentatively, kicking the knife away on the ground before pulling her away.

Dean wasted no time in grabbing the girl by the arm and yanking her across the street towards the Impala.

"What the hell was that!" he shouted at her. "You know what, I don't wanna hear it. Just get in the car and cool off." She didn't need to be asked twice. Once they'd reached the car, Ali slid into the backseat and let Dean slam the door behind her. The elder Winchester braced himself against the frame of the car, trying to make his anxieties drain away. She'd just held a witness at knife point. That was a whole different level to what had been going on before.

He turned around, catching Sam's eye across the street who was consoling a shaken and confused Scott. One nod told him that his brother would take care of the situation whilst he dealt with the teenager in the backseat.

* * *

"What's going on with you, Ali," Dean asked the girl as he slammed the motel toom door. She stood before him in the clothes she'd warn the previous day. She looked like shit but she still looked like Ali. Other than that, the girl was unrecognisable to him. The silent car ride back to the motel had been agony. Now he wanted some answers. "I mean, what the hell was that back there? You acted like a frickin crazy person."

"I'm sick, Dean," she said through gritted teeth. Dean huffed. Her eyes were cast down to the floor in what seemed like anger but Dean couldn't be sure. He stared at her quizzically, trying to figure her out.

"What? You got a migraine or something?" Dean asked. She laughed humourlessly. The sound was cold. Absent.

"No I haven't got a migraine," Ali spat as if the suggestion of it disgusted her. "I'm sick of you and Sam and Bobby." She was shaking now, not with cold but with a violent anger. "I'm sick of you telling me what to do."

"Is that what this is?" Dean said, starting to get irritated. "Is this some kind of teenage rebellion? You wanna do what you want when you want?"

"No, this is about me wanting you to get the hell out of my life!" She yelled. Dean stared at her. Her words would have hurt him had her recent mood swings not shaken him so much. He didn't know who he was talking to. Whoever it was, it wasn't his Ali.

"This ain't you talking, kiddo," he replied as he shook his head. He tried to keep his voice low, but still clear.

"I can't do it any more, Dean," she said, her voice so broken Dean could hardly bare to hear it. "I can't drive around with you and Sam every day not knowing what's gonna happen. I have to be able to control- I can't control any of it." Her eyes were wild as she spoke. "I'm trapped, Dean. And you and Sam are there all the time in my head just screaming at me and I - I can't -."

"Ali, you're - you're not making any sense," Dean said, his brow furrowed in concern as he stepped closer to her. He was desperate to understand.

"I just need you to leave, okay, you have to leave, just- just get out, okay - get out of my head!" she screamed at him. She breathed heavily as she grappled at her hair as if she was in agony.

"Ali, I can't understand you-."

"I said get out!" she yelled with all the force in her lungs. She grabbed the half empty whisky bottle on the side table and smashed it against the wall. Dean shielded his eyes from the splintering glass.

'Woah, whoa, Ali!' he shouted. She screamed again, a pained, agitated scream that was almost animalistic. Dean watched as she kicked at the wall before sending a fist into the mirror hanging on the wall. "Calm down!" he barked at her as the mirror smashed, the shards cutting her hands.

She stood facing the wall, her forehead resting on the broken mirror. She was eerily still that Dean wondered if she was even breathing.

"Ali?" Dean said softly as he approached her. He reached out a hand, tentatively placing it on her shoulder so he could turn her to face him. Silent tears had dragged the mascara down her cheeks, leaving trails of inky black. Her eyes were empty like whatever was left inside of her had drained away.

"What's wrong with me?" she asked, her voice almost inaudible. Dean's eyes grew misty with concern as he studied her.

"I dunno, kiddo," he replied, "but we're gonna figure it out, okay?" He tried to reassure her but he wasn't even convinced of it himself. "You're gonna be just fine."

* * *

 _"_ _What happened?"_ Sam asked down the phone. Dean had called his brother after what had happened to see if he had any ideas as to what was going on.

"I dunno, she just went all crazy on me," Dean replied, his voice hushed. "She was going on about control and hearing voices."

 _"_ _Voices?"_ Sam asked with concern. _"_ _You think hallucinations?"_

"I dunno," Dean said, scratching his thinly stubbled jaw. He hadn't gotten around to shaving in almost a week. "She said she could hear me and you yelling at her in her head."

 _"_ _Us? Is that exactly what she said?"_

"Sam, she wasn't exactly having a whole lotta sense," Dean said. "Took be almost twenty minutes to calm her down enough to fix up her hands."

 _"_ _Her hands?"_ Sam asked in surprise.

"Yeah, she put her fist through the mirror," he said. "So, we better be prepared for all the crap we're gonna have for the next seven years." Sam chuckled drily down the phone.

 _"_ _I talked to Scott. He's gonna keep his mouth shut about the whole thing,"_ he said.

"Good," Dean replied. "That's something, I guess."

 _"_ _Do you want me to drive over?"_ Sam asked. _"_ _I mean, I haven't gotten much further on the case yet but I could be back at the hotel in couple of hours."_

"She's sleeping right now," Dean said, glancing over the Ali's small form on the motel bed. "But I don't wanna leave her alone, ya know?"

 _"_ _Do you want to drop the case?"_ Sam asked. He sighed.

"No, I don't want to," Dean admitted. "But I think it would be best to sit this one out, right?"

 _"_ _Okay,"_ Sam replied. _"_ _I'll call Ash and see if he can get someone to take over. I'll be there soon."_

"Great," Dean said, about to hang up.

 _"_ _Hey Dean?"_ Sam said quickly. Dean waited expectantly on the line. _"_ _We're gonna figure this out,"_ he said, trying to reassure his brother. _"_ _The worst is over, right?"_

"Right," Dean replied before they said goodbye and hung up. Dean looked across the motel room to the exhausted girl. Although he wanted to believe his brother, he somehow knew that the worst was not over. In fact, he was sure that they had no idea about how bad things were going to get.

* * *

Dean was woken by the sound of the motel door clicking shut. He looked up from the armchair he had been sleeping in to spot the silhouette of Sam by the door.

"Dean?" he heard Sam whisper.

"Hmm," Dean grunted as he blinked through the darkened room. "Yeah?"

"How's she doing?" Sam asked as he rested his bag on the floor. Dean rubbed his eyes as he glanced over to Ali's unconscious form on the bed furthest from the door.

"Sleeping like a baby," he replied. Sam nodded.

"Okay, I'm gonna crash," Sam said with a yawn. "You want the other bed?"

"Nah I'm good," Dean said, folding his arms as he sunk back into the arm chair.

He was so exhausted that the whole conversation had been fuzzy. He closed his eyes, waiting for sleep to consume him once again.

To Dean, it seemed like the phone call came almost as soon as he had drifted off. His eyes snapped open in alarm, and he squinted as they adjusted to the light streaming into the room under the blinds.

He stood up, taking a moment to get his bearings. Before he even looked at his phone he noticed something that made his stomach drop to the floor.

Ali was gone.

"Would you answer that," Sam said groggily from his bed. Dean snapped out of his sleepy daze, his heart pounding in his chest.

"Sam," he said, trying to get his brother's attention. "Sam!"

"What?" Sam asked, irritated that Dean had interrupted his sleep. The ringing of the phone had stopped now.

"Ali's gone," Dean said, urgently running to the door to see if she was outside. His eyes skimmed the trashy veranda. There was no sign of the blonde girl. He stormed back into the room.

"What do you mean, she's gone?" Sam asked, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"I mean she's fucking gone, Sam!" Dean yelled, gesturing to the empty bed where Ali once lay.

"You think she ran off?" Sam asked, shoving his feet into his shoes. "That's not like her."

"She's not herself," Dean said. "Last night, you should've seen her." He paused, thinking back to when she had smashed the whisky bottle against the wall. "It's was like... hell I dunno what it was." Dean shook his head.

The phone rang again, the sound of it causing Dean to become even more agitated. _You had one job_ , he thought to himself. _All you had to do was keep her safe. Keep her safe for Bobby_. He contemplated calling him but he knew getting him involved would make things worse. The phone kept ringing.

"For god sakes, Sam, would you shut that thing up," Dean barked. "I'm trying to think!" But Sam didn't reply. He was staring at the phone. "Sam?"

"Dean," he replied, holding up the mobile to his brother so he could see the screen. "I think it's her."

Dean grabbed the phone out of Sam's hand before he could even process what was happening. He answered straight away.

"Ali?" he asked down the line. It was silent, the only noise he could hear was what seemed like laboured breathing. "Ali, is that you?"

 _"_ _Dean?"_ a small voice replied on the other end.

"Thank god," he breathed. "Ali, where are you? I'm coming to pick you up," Dean asked frantically.

 _"_ _I- I'm not sure, I-I don't know where I am,"_ she replied. Dean realised from the tone of her voice why she was stuttering: she was terrified.

"It's okay, it's okay," he repeated, more for himself than anyone else. "What can you see?" he asked, trying to get an idea of where she might be.

 _"_ _Um, I'm inside,"_ she said, ending her sentence with a groan.

"Ali, are you hurt?" Dean asked, dreading the answer. Sam motioned to him to put it on speaker. He did.

 _"_ _I'm, I'm okay,"_ she replied, trying to be reassuring but Dean could tell she was lying.

"Ali," he warned in a low voice. "What's wrong?" He shut his eyes, dreading her answer. From her ragged breath, he knew she was in agony. He just hoped the damage wasn't fatal.

 _"_ _I-I'm bleeding,"_ she whimpered out. _"_ _I think I've been shot."_ Dean squeezed the bridge of his nose with his free hand, panic starting to rise in his chest. Sam was silent. Dean was too for a moment as he punched the fear down, trying to figure out what to do.

"Okay," he said quietly as he took a deep breath. "Okay, Ali, I'm gonna need you to keep pressure on that," he said. "Me and Sam are gonna come and get you." There was a beat. "I'm coming to get you." There was silence down the other end. "Ali, you with me?"

 _"_ _Yeah,"_ she breathed out finally.

"Okay, good," Dean said again, trying to keep his voice steady. "Now can you tell me what you remember from last night?"

 _"_ _I don't remember anything,"_ Ali replied, her voice terrified.

"Do you have any idea where you are?" Sam said suddenly, speaking up for the first time.

 _"_ _I dunno - I-I think it's some kind of warehouse."_

"A warehouse?" Dean asked. "Is there anything else?"

 _"_ _I can't-,"_ and then the line went dead. Dean stared at the phone, his eyes wide as he thought of what state Ali was in - confused, bleeding and alone. He frantically dialled her number again, almost throwing the phone against the wall when the was no answer.

"Right, come on," he told Sam, grabbing his coat as he made for the door.

"Dean, wait," Sam said. Dean turned from the door expectantly. "Let's think about this for a second."

"What's there to think about?" Dean asked incredulously. All he could think about was how he needed to get to Ali as soon as possible.

"I mean, for starters, how did she even get shot?" Sam asked. Dean frowned at him. Why was he asking questions like this? They were running out of time.

"I dunno, some random psycho could've got her," Dean suggested.

"What? You think she got kidnapped out of the room?"

"I dunno, why don't we ask when we find her," Dean snapped at his brother.

"Dean, the only way Ali would've got outta the motel without us waking up is if she walked out herself," Sam said. Dean shook his head.

"What are you trying to say, Sam? Are you saying she's lying?" he asked incredulously. He could believe what he was hearing. They needed to go. Now. They needed to find Ali.

"No, I'm just saying we should think about this before we go out, guns blazing," Sam suggested. Dean scoffed.

"I'm not gonna sit around in a motel room thinking whilst she bleeds out!" Dean yelled, grabbing his jacket and heading for the door.

"I'm not asking you to do that," Sam called after him. Dean huffed.

"Well how about this?" Dean started. "You can stay here and think about whatever the hell you want. I'm going."

"Dean," Sam said warningly. "We both know that whatever's going on with Ali has been going on a while. You saw what happened yesterday with Scott. And I know you don't want to admit it, but Ali could be dangerous!"

"She'd just a kid, Sam," Dean said, shaking his head. "I'm going to find her." He slammed the motel room door behind him as he left. He heard Sam shout his name as he walked away but the younger Winchester didn't come after him.

That was fine by Dean. If Sam didn't want to help him find Ali, he'd just have to find her himself.

* * *

The Impala pulled up outside the abandoned warehouse, the engine grinding to a halt before Dean pulled the ignition. He quickly got out, grabbing the gun from the glove compartment and shoving it in the holster at his hip.

He wasn't one hundred percent sure that the warehouse before him was where he would find the frightened girl, but somehow, he knew it. As he approached the rusted door, he heard a strangled cough, confirming what he had thought.

Dean yanked the door open, his knuckles turning white as he gripped the cold metal. Inside it was freezing, each breath releasing a thin fog into the darkened room.

"Ali!" he yelled, startled by the amount his voice echoed through the silent building. "Ali!" There was no reply, but Dean could have sworn he could hear the distant sound of breathing.

He walked closer into the building, passing the rows of metal fencing and dishevelled machinery that looked like it hadn't been used in decades. Something about the situation didn't feel right. He had been sure that Ali would be here, so, where was she? Dean hoped the reason she hadn't replied to his shouts were not because she had fallen unconscious from blood loss.

He moved further through the metallic jungle, punching though chain linked gates and avoiding the sharp coils of barbed wire.

That was when he heard it. The faint sound of someone calling his name. Before the noise had really registered in his mind he was sprinting in its direction, coming to a clearing in the warehouse floor. Ali was still nowhere to be seen.

A moment of confusion passed through him as he stared at the empty room. Suddenly, there was a step behind him, causing Dean to whirl around. But before he could retrieve his gun from the holster, something hard collided with the side of his head and he fell to the ground.

Dean could only comprehend two things in the time he had before blacking out. The first was a flash of blonde hair in front of him, causing confusion and panic to flare inside of him. The second followed the first and made Dean regret leaving his brother in the motel room: _Sam had been right._

* * *

 **AN: Hope you liked that chapter. What do you think is going on with Ali and what do you think will happen over the next few chapters?**

 **Also, did everyone enjoy the Season 12 finale? So much drama!**

 **Thanks for reading :)**

 **Let me know what you thought, much love x**


	19. Chapter 19 - The Devil Inside

Sam's knee bounced nervously as he chewed on his finger nails. Dean had been gone for over an hour and Sam hadn't heard a word from him. He felt guilty for what he had said about Ali being dangerous and although he hoped he had been wrong, he had a feeling he wasn't.

He'd tried Dean's mobile multiple times with no luck, though he wasn't sure if that was because his brother was just not talking to him. After much deliberation, he decided to try Ali's number again, hoping that if she really was injured, she would still be able to answer.

He pressed the phone to his ear as it rang, waiting nervously for the recipient to answer. After what felt like an eternity, the line clicked. Someone had answered.

"Ali?" Sam said, suddenly relieved. He could hear breathing down the line. "Ali, is that you?" There was a long pause as Sam waited for a reply, and when it came, he wished he hadn't called.

 _"_ _Sorry Sam,"_ the voice said. _"_ _Ali can't come to the phone right now."_ The voice was cold, and Sam could almost hear the devilish smirk he knew the girl would be wearing. It was Ali's voice, but at the same time, it wasn't.

"Ali?" Sam said slowly. "What's going on? Where's Dean?"

 _"_ _He's a little tied up right now,"_ she said.

"What happened, Ali?" Sam asked again. He remained completely still in the empty motel room as he spoke. "What did you do?"

 _"_ _Come on, Sam. Catch up_." Her voice was snappy and cold like she was agitated, but in the same way she seemed completely calm. In control. It was in stark contrast to the girl Sam had seen the day before. _"_ _I thought you were the smart one."_

"Ali, tell me what's going on." She laughed darkly.

 _"_ _You really think sweet little Ali is doing all this?"_ she asked incredulously.

"What-?"

 _"_ _I'm bored, Sammy."_ She said it like she was bored with the conversation. Tired. Uninterested. _"_ _When you're done fitting all the pieces of the puzzle together, why don't you come and play."_ And then she was gone.

Sam stared at the phone before him, completely bewildered. He tried dialling the number again but there was no reply. It didn't even go to voicemail. He shoved the phone back in his pocket and ran a nervous hand through his growing hair. _What was happening?_

The younger Winchester quickly ran to the door, pulling it open as he headed to Ali's motel room. It had been empty since yesterday as far as he knew, but maybe Ali had gone back in before she'd taken off. When he entered the room, it looked no different to the day before. Her duffle bag was still there, along with a jacket and a few other pieces of clothing. Sam riffled through them, looking for anything that could indicate what was going on. A cursed object. A hex bag maybe? There was nothing.

Sam sat on the bed, his hands in his hair as he tried to think. As he opened his eyes he noticed something unusual. It was on the floor. Only half of it visible from the way it was concealed under the bed. He picked it up, frowning at the piece of jewellery that now lay in his hand. Ali's anklet. Once again, she wasn't wearing at. He pocketed the item before leaving the motel room to locate the girl and his brother. Finding the anklet was a step forward, but Sam wasn't sure what it meant, although, he had a feeling it was going to be important.

* * *

Ali's form stood eerily still over Dean Winchester's unconscious form. The mobile which she'd crushed against the concrete wall now lay on the floor. Her head was tilted to the side as she watched the man before slowly taking out the silver hip flask in his pocket. She silently unscrewed the cap and tipped the contents into the hunter's face. Deans eyes snapped open as he groaned, pupils adjusting to the light. The girl above him tossed the flask to the side before stepping away.

Dean sat up, noticing straight away that his hands had been tied behind his back. His head throbbed, but that wasn't what worried him the most. The blonde girl in front of him seemed to be devoid of any emotion, the only exception possibly being malice. He glanced at her top. There was no blood. No gunshot wound. She was fine. But at the same time…she wasn't fine at all.

"What are you?" Dean asked, his voice livid. The girl smirked.

"You're quicker than your brother," she replied, her voice low and even. Her eyes were calculating. Her smile put the elder Winchester on edge.

"What the hell have you done with Ali?" he asked through gritted teeth, his jaw tight.

"She still here," the girl said, tapping the side of her skull. "Somewhere." She ended with a little chuckle, the sound deranged and empty. Her eyes pierced straight through him.

"You think this is funny?" he said angrily, trying to lunge forward from the ground. The girl stepped away from his advance, raising Dean's Colt M1911A1 threateningly at him.

"I think it's hilarious," she said darkly, not even a hint of humour in her voice.

"Get out of her," Dean said, almost begging. "Get you of her, you bitch!"

"You think I'm possessing her?" she asked, her lips twitching up in amusement. "Ali's meatsuit is off limits, remember?" She dragged the side of her jeans down, revealing the anti-possession tattoo on her hip.

"Then how'd you get in?" Dean questioned. He'd never felt so much anger before. He wanted to kill her. He wanted to rip her apart. But he knew that would only hurt Ali. He could never do it.

"I didn't infiltrate this body from the outside, Dean," she said with a smirk. "I took over from within."

"What does that mean?" She clicked her tongue at him, shaking her head.

"Sorry," she said. "Can't be giving away all my little secrets."

"What do you want from us?" Dean asked, struggling to try and undo the ropes that bound his hands. They were tight and he knew he didn't stand a chance of getting out of them. After all, it had been Dean himself who'd taught Ali how to tie someone up so they wouldn't be able to break free. It had been in case she needed to detain a monster. It'd never crossed his mind that it would come back and bite him in the ass.

"I want what Ali wants," she said. Dean scoffed.

"Ali would never wanna hurt me or Sam," he protested. She smirked at him.

"I admire your faith in her. But without Ali, I wouldn't exist."

"You bitch."

"Watch your mouth, Winchester," she snarled, cocking the weapon in his direction.

"You're insane," Dean spat with a glare.

"No Dean. I'm the exact opposite of crazy," she said, crouching down beside him and grasping him roughly by the collar of his shirt. "I think straight. I'm the part of Ali that knows exactly what she wants and has the focus to take it."

"So, Ali wants to kill her friends?" he asked incredulously.

"No," she said simply, releasing him and shoving him to the ground. "Ali wants revenge."

"What are you talking about?" Dean asked, trying to straighten himself up.

"How do you put it?" she asked thoughtfully. "An eye for an eye?" Dean frowned, not understanding what the girl meant. She rolled her eyes at his confused expression. "Something was taken from us. Something we'll never get back."

"Us?" Dean questioned. "Stop talking like you and Ali are the same. She's nothing like you."

"You're wrong, Dean," she whispered darkly. "But enough about that." A low grumble of an engine could be heard outside and the monster wearing Ali's face turned slightly in acknowledgement. "Right on cue," she sang.

"You're not gonna touch him," Dean said threateningly. She shook her head mockingly as if to say 'there's nothing you can do about it.' She bent down again next to him, gagging him and pressing the barrel of the gun to his forehead. Dean could feel it bruising against his skull. Her face was so close to his that he could see the bloodshot whites of her eyes.

"Try anything and you're both dead," she whispered before kicking him hard in the shoulder where his bullet wound was. Dean groaned in pain as he fell to the side, his head smacking against the concrete. The impact made his vision blur and he squeezed his eyes shut to try and push past the headache. The way his hands were tied made it difficult to pull himself back into a kneeling position. She was no longer beside him but now had her back against the wall a few metres away.

Dean could see Sam approaching, his gun braced in front of him. He wanted to try and yell to him but he remembered the girl's warning. When the younger Winchester spotted his brother, he ran towards him, lowering his gun, his focus on his brother.

"Dean," he said in relief at finding his brother alive. He pulled him up and removed the gag from his mouth.

"Sammy, behind you," Dean warned straight away. Sam whipped around, coming face to face with Dean's pistol in the hands of the blonde girl. He frowned at her. She breathed confidence and control. Her eyes were dark. Evil.

"Drop it," she hissed at the younger Winchester.

"Ali, let's talk about this," Sam tried as he held out his hands in surrender.

"It's not her, Sam," Dean muttered from the ground, both their eyes fixed on the teen. She smirked at them, shooting Dean an impressed look.

"At least one of you has your head screwed on," she mumbled dryly. "I said drop it." Her face was serious. Menacing. Sam tentatively placed his weapon on the ground. "Kick it away." He obeyed. Sam watched as she moved closer, keeping the gun aimed at his chest the entire time. She moved slowly and with purpose. She signalled for Sam to move away from Dean and he did before she started to pat him down, checking for other weapons. She discovered two knives and an extra handgun which she tossed away out of his reach. All the while, Sam had his eyes fixed on Dean who was edging closer. He still had his arms tied behind his back but he reckoned he could still take the teen out without much problem. Especially when she was distracted.

Sam stayed completely still as Dean approached her from behind. Suddenly, he charged, tackling her to the ground. She screamed as she fell, the gun in her hand sliding across the concrete floor. In anger, she pushed Dean off of her as she stood up, only to be met with the end of Sam's gun pointed at her head. For a moment, the brother thought they had her. That was, until, she pulled Dean from the floor and grabbed the silver knife from her boot, pressing the sharp blade to his neck. He felt dizzy, having not yet recovered from the two pretty serious blows to the head he'd received.

"I told you what would happen if you tried anything, Dean," she snarled in his ear. "And I didn't wanna kill you just yet but you're really starting to piss me off!" She yanked his head back by his hair, the blade cutting into his neck and causing it to sting.

"Hey, stop!" Sam shouted, still pointing the weapon at her.

"Put the gun down or I'll kill him!" she screamed, her eyes wild and deranged. "Now!"

"Okay!" Sam yelled back, throwing the gun down away from him. "Okay, you got us. We're both here and unarmed. That's what you wanted, right?" Sam watched as she gritted her teeth together and released Dean, pushing him down to the ground. She picked the gun from the ground and twirled it in her hand.

"Not exactly," she admitted. "It's a shame John couldn't be here too." The brothers frowned at her. "But then again, the thought of him rotting in hell does bring me some consolation." Dean growled in anger from the floor.

"What do you want from us?" Sam asked desperately. "Tell us what you want?"

"Well originally, I wanted to kill both of you," she said devilishly, a sick smile on her face as she spoke. "But now that just seems too easy. If you both die, it's over in a second." Sam shuffled uncomfortably on his feet. He'd never imagined he'd hear these words coming out of the blonde girl he considered a friend. It just seemed so alien. Surreal. "But," she continued. "If I kill just one of you… Well, the other would have to spend the rest of his life living with that grief. The grief of losing a brother. And _that_ … that's revenge."

" _That's_ what this is about?" Sam questioned in confusion. "This is about Tyler? We had nothing to do with Tyler's death. Ali knows that."

"I'm not talking about Tyler!" Sam could see her composure breaking. She was crumbling in front of them. She appeared unhinged, and that was dangerous. The blonde girl shook her head, calming herself down. "The only question now is which one?" She glanced between them, the gun twirling in her hand.

"Ali, if you're in there," Sam began, starting to panic. "If you're in there, you need to fight." The girl cackled at him in amusement.

"She's not in control, Sam," she told him. "Ali can't hear you." She released a long sigh. "I've made my decision." Her dark eyes landed on Dean and she wandered over to him silently, pressing the gun to his head once again as she grasped his hair in her fist.

"Wait," Sam pleaded, taking a step towards them. The girl shot him a warning glance. "Please don't do this." She ignored him, her eyes locking with Dean's.

"Say hi to your dad for me," she whispered darkly, her finger on the trigger.

"No!" Sam yelled, lunging forward and pushing the girl to the ground. The gun went off, the bullet narrowly missing Dean's head leaving a hole in the wall. The younger Winchester wrestled with the girl underneath him as he tried to pull the gun from her hands. Her teeth were gritted together in anger as she tried to throw him off. She managed to eventually, but the gun was knocked from her hands and out of reach. Sam watched as her hand went to the knife in her boot and she pulled it out. He dived forwards to grab her wrist but she dodged him swiftly. As he moved, the anklet he'd found in her room fell out of his pocket and onto the floor. He wouldn't've noticed it had the girl not stopped her movements to stare at it. There was shock in her eyes, as well as terror. Sam stared at her, puzzled by her reaction. Before he had a chance to grab her, she had turned on her heel and sprinted out of the warehouse.

Sam stared after her for a moment before the groaning of his brother brought him to his senses. He untied Dean quickly before helping him to his feet.

"She really did a number on you, huh?" Sam said as he eyed Dean's bruised skull and bleeding neck. He sent him an angry glare in return, pushing away his hands as they tried to examine his wounds.

"Come on," he said, grabbing the weapons from the floor before running in the direction the teen went. The sunlight was disorientating but when his eyes finally adjusted, Dean growled angrily. "She took Baby?" he asked in furious disbelief when the Impala was nowhere in sight. "I'm telling you, when I get my hands on her…" he mumbled under his breath.

"What? You'll do what, Dean?" The elder Winchester simply grumbled back at his brother. He reluctantly climbed into the car Sam had stolen and gunned the engine, speeding off after whatever the hell Ali had turned into.

"So, what are we dealing with here, Sam?" he asked. "A ghoul? Some wacked out wraith attack?"

"I dunno, Dean," Sam replied. "But did you see her face when I dropped this?" he questioned, holding the anklet between his fingers as he thumbed the intricate links and stones. "It was like she was afraid."

"Yeah, afraid of Ali taking the reins," Dean suggested. "I mean, that thing has sentimental value, right? Maybe she was scared it might trigger something inside of Ali and give her more control?"

"Yeah, maybe," Sam said thoughtfully. He wasn't sure what to think, but he was sure that the thing's reaction to the small piece of jewellery had to be significant. Maybe, for some reason, the anklet was its kryptonite.

"Where's she headed anyways?" the elder Winchester thought out loud. She was too far ahead of them to be able to follow and they needed to pick up their stuff from the motel. "I mean, where could she go?"

"There is one place," Sam realised. Dean groaned as he caught on, hoping what Sam had suggested was not reality. If it was, things could get messy. "She's out for some kind of revenge. She wants to be somewhere that's familiar. Somewhere she can use to her advantage. Somewhere she knows we'd follow her to." Sam was right. Dean sighed.

"Call Bobby."

* * *

Bobby Singer sat in his front room, glass of whisky cradled in one hand whilst his other leafed through a book on demonic possession. A knock on the door startled him out of his lazy Thursday afternoon routine. He quickly finished his drink and placed the book down on the table in front of him. The knocking came again and the hunter quickened his pace towards the door.

"Hang on," he called as he unlatched the door and pulled it open. His brow furrowed at the sight of the tearful girl on his door step. Her blonde hair was in complete disarray, along with the dark circles and black streaks of mascara staining her cheeks. She looked awful. But more importantly, she looked terrified. Behind her, Bobby could see the Impala, though there was no sign of Sam or Dean.

"Allison?" he questioned as if he couldn't quite believe she was standing before him. It had been a while since he'd set eyes on the girl and her abrupt return made him anxious. At her name, the girl's eyes started to fill with tears and she stepped forward, throwing her arms around his neck. He tentatively squeezed her back, worry coursing through his veins. "What happened?" he asked, pulling her inside and shutting the door. "Where's Sam and Dean?"

"I dunno," she replied, tears streaming down her face, her breathing rapid. "But something's happened, they've gone crazy." Bobby frowned at her. "They think I'm possessed. They tried to kill me, Bobby." She broke down crying again and Bobby pulled her into him as he tried to soothe her.

"Okay," he whispered. "It's okay." Her face was buried against his chest as he ran his hand over her hair. She quietened down and when they pulled apart again she rubbed her eyes to clear the tears away. "I'll get you a water," he offered. She nodded quietly.

He quickly returned from the kitchen and handed her the glass. Bobby watched her carefully as she brought to it to her lips. Just before she took a sip, Bobby noticed her expression grow blank before a small smirk appeared.

"Holy water?" she questioned with a raised brow. "Really?" Bobby swallowed thickly as she took a long sip before smashing the glass against the wall. "I thought you knew better."

"Allison, I-."

"I should've known those Winchesters would get to you before I did," she spat as she approached the man. Bobby backed up, stepping away from the girl wearing Ali's face who was most definitely _not_ Ali. "What did they tell you?"

"They told me enough," he replied. He watched as the girl came closer, kicking over a stack of books on her way as she reached for her blade. Her eyes were deranged. Disturbed. She radiated hate and anger.

"You know you almost had me fooled," she told him with a wicked laugh. "For a moment, I thought you actually believed I was Ali." Bobby glanced around the room, trying to locate a weapon he could use against her. "But then you had to go and offer me a glass of water." Her face gave the impression that she was disappointed in him. Like she had expected better. "I mean, holy water? Did you really think that would work on _me_?" She grinned at him devilishly and Bobby stared back.

"No," he replied simply, causing the girl to frown. "That's why it wasn't _just_ holy water." Her face contorted in confusion before her legs began to shake. She was furious, but there was nothing she could do to stop herself from collapsing to the ground.

"What did you do?" she asked through gritted teeth as she tried to keep her eyes open. Bobby didn't reply as he watched her finally pass out, her limbs going floppy as she relaxed into the floor. It killed him to do it, but he had no other choice.

* * *

Dean riffled through his father's journal as he sat at the desk in Bobby's study. By the time he and Sam had arrived at the Singer Salvage Yard, the older hunter had already locked an unconscious Ali in the basement. It'd been a couple of hours and so far, he'd found nothing useful that could explain what was happening to her or what it was that had taken over her body. Through all the time he and Sam had been researching in the study, Bobby had been down there with her, sitting outside the door. Dean had told Bobby that he didn't need to do that, but Bobby insisted that he did.

"Found anything?" he called to Sam who had been researching on his laptop. Sam sighed.

"Not yet," Sam replied. "Dean… what if whatever's happening to Ali isn't supernatural?" Dean sat up, his eyes finding his younger brother. His face held a frown.

"Not supernatural?" Dean asked incredulously. "Are you saying that Ali actually wants to kill us? That overnight she just turned into a frickin crazy person?"

"Not crazy," he clarified as he sat back in his chair and closed his laptop. "But she could have some kind of personality disorder."

"Are you kidding?" Sam rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, because I find this all so hilarious," he shot back. "No, I'm not kidding, Dean. I mean, you hear about this kinda stuff on the news. The memory loss, the hallucinations, the mood swings. It makes sense."

"These things don't just happen, Sam," Dean argued. "People don't just develop an entirely different personality overnight."

"But it didn't just happen overnight," Sam protested. "Weird stuff has been happening for weeks."

"No," Dean said as he shook his head. "No, something's messing with her head. And it's something we can kill."

"Dean…"

"I'm gonna go check on Bobby," he said, hurrying out of the room before Sam could say anything else. There was no way Sam was right about what was happening with Ali. Whatever was wrong, he could fix it. He could kill it.

It was silent as he descended the stairs to the basement. Bobby sat on a bench outside the door, a bottle of whisky in his hand. Dean eyed him wearily before peering through the bars at the girl inside. She sat with her back to the door so he couldn't see her face. She was eerily still.

"She said anything?" Dean asked. Bobby shook his head.

"Just woke up." He nodded, sliding the bolt across the door and slipping into the darkened room. He heard Bobby lock the door behind him. Dean quickly pulled out a silver hip flask from his pocket and flicked some of the contents on the girl in front of it. He saw her flinch, but other than that, she didn't react. No screams. No smoke or burning flesh.

"Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus, omnis-." He stopped when he heard her giggling faintly. He felt stupid, but he had to continue to be sure. "Omnis satanica potestas, omnis incursio-."

"Seriously?" Dean looked up at the sound of the voice. She'd turned around and was now staring at him. "An exorcism. Think you can chant a few sentences of Latin and this will all just go away? I know Sam is supposed to be the smart one, but really, Dean?" He swallowed thickly.

"Worth a shot," he muttered. "Now, are you gonna tell me what you are?" He stepped forward as she stood up, her dark eyes locked on his. He held a knife in his hand, but she didn't look afraid. Not even remotely. Dean wished he could say the same about himself.

"I already told you, Dean," she replied. "I'm a part of Ali. I came from her."

"Stop saying that!" he yelled as he pushed her against the wall, his forearm across her chest as he held the knife to her throat. She laughed at him, her eyes flickering from the knife back to Dean.

"But it's the truth," she replied. "Whether you like it or not, I'm a part of Ali. You can't get rid of me."

"I'll find a way," he growled at her,

"No, you won't," she replied with a smirk. "As long as I look like your pretty little Ali who cares about you so much, you won't touch me." Dean glared at her as he pressed her harder against the wall.

"You wanna bet?" he threatened.

"Help!" she screamed suddenly, causing Dean to frown. "Bobby, please! He's hurting me!" Dean took a step back in alarm. He barely touched her. "Bobby!" He could see her smiling as she cried out in pain, though she wasn't in any pain at all.

"Dean?" he heard Bobby ask from the other side of the door. She was still screaming, pretending that Dean was hurting her. He pressed the knife back to her throat.

"Stop it," he ordered her darkly when she wouldn't stop crying for help. "I said, shut up!"

"Dean, what's going on in there?" he heard the older hunter ask from outside. He was anxious and worried. Dean could hear someone coming down the basement stairs.

"He's hurting me, Bobby!" she yelled as Dean tried to make her stop screaming. "He's gonna kill me!"

"What game are you playing?" Dean asked her as she smirked at him, her grin evil. The basement door flew open and Bobby and Sam burst in, pulling Dean away from Ali as she continued to cry in pain.

"What did you do?" Sam asked as he pushed Dean away. Bobby was standing near Ali, trying to make sure she was okay.

"I didn't do anything!" he yelled back in anger. "She's trying to mess with our heads." He pointed an accusatory finger at the blonde girl in question who held a satisfied expression on her face. She straightened up, smiling darkly at the three of them.

"You're the ones who make it so easy," she said, her eyes shifting over each of them. Bobby took a step back, resting his hand on Dean's shoulder. He was tense. Enraged.

"Let's go," the greying man said, patting the elder Winchester's shoulder. He turned around and headed for the door behind Bobby, leaving Sam as the only one left with the girl. Dean shot him a look before he ascended the stairs and he nodded back. There was something he needed to figure out.

Sam shut the door and turned slowly, catching sight of Ali across the dimly lit room. She was staring at him, her blue eyes burning holes through his chest. He didn't meet her gaze.

"Are you gonna try to exorcise me too, Sammy?" she asked teasingly, a smile on her lips. Sam kept his gaze low as he breathed in and out. In and out. It was like he was trying to work up the courage to face her. He didn't want to make her scream. He didn't want to hear Ali's voice being used by something so evil. He just wanted to understand. He wanted her back. With a frown still in place, he reached into his pocket and pulled out the anklet, holding it up in front of him.

"Why aren't you wearing it?" he asked. Her expression fell flat before her brows knitted together, a questioning look on her face. "Ali never takes it off. So why, when you come along, does she start taking it off?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about," she scoffed, folding her arms and leaning against the wall. Even though her face was in shadow, Sam could still tell that she was lying.

"I think you do," he said, growing more confident as she grew more uncomfortable with the conversation topic. "That night. Out on the steps." He took a breath. "That was you, wasn't it?"

"Please, you don't expect me to remember every-."

"Ali didn't lose it," Sam said. "It didn't fall off. She took it off, and then she couldn't remember what happened after." It was like he was thinking out loud now – putting all the pieces of the puzzle together. He was figuring it out. "Because for whatever reason, you can't take full control of her if she's wearing it!" There is was again. The same face of apprehension she'd worn when the anklet had fallen out of his pocket earlier that day. He was right.

"It's just a crappy piece of jewellery," she said, shaking her head at him.

"I don't think it is," Sam said in disagreement. Her eyes darkened at him, her hatred clear in her expression. He could see it in the way her jaw tightened and her nostrils flared with each exhale.

"So, what are you gonna do?" she asked bitterly. "You gonna shove that thing on my ankle and hope that I disappear? It's not that easy, Sam."

"Maybe not," he muttered as he shoved the anklet back into his pocket. He didn't want to do anything to set her off again. Not until he was sure. He needed to talk to Dean first. Sam watched as the girl turned away from him and took a seat on the floor. Even in her callousness towards them, Sam he couldn't help but worry about the girl. Ali was still there somewhere inside. He wanted to make sure she was okay.

The girl's form shivered in air. It was unsurprising that she was cold considering the thin shirt she wore. Sam could even see the dark outline of her tattoo between her shoulder blades through the material. He made a mental note to get her a jumper before night fall.

* * *

That evening, the air felt heavy. Part of it was because of the way Bobby had yelled at the brothers earlier that day. His rage had been fuelled primarily because both Sam and Dean had failed to inform him of the struggle they'd been having with Ali over the past few weeks. He was angry it had taken such a dramatic turn of events for them to involve him. As far as Bobby was concerned, he was her guardian. _He_ was the one who should be looking out for her.

Another reason for the foul mood in the household had to do with the fact that even after spending the afternoon reading and researching all they could, they were still no closer to figuring out what had happened to Ali, or rather, _who_ had happened to Ali. The only problem was that Sam was looking for a _what_ and Dean was looking for a _who._

"Hey Dean?" Sam called to his brother. The hunter looked up from the couch where he'd been sipping his fourth beer that night. A thought had just run through the younger Winchester's mind. Something he only just realised he needed to question. "When did Ali get that other tattoo?" Dean's brow furrowed.

"What other tattoo?" he asked, rubbing his forehead and wanting to forget everything that was happening until the morning. He hadn't realised just how much he was bothered by what was going on with Ali until now.

"The one on her back," Sam said. Dean shook his head.

"She doesn't have one on her back," he replied. "As far as I know, she only has that devil's trap." Sam tensed at his brother's words.

"Then why did I just see one on her back?" he asked slowly. Dean was on his feet and halfway to the basement before Sam had a chance to process what was happening. He followed after his brother, watching as he ignored Bobby's protests and barged into Ali's cell. She was sitting and the ground away from the door. Her back was to him, making it easy for him to grasp onto her shoulder so she couldn't move and carefully fold back her shirt, revealing the mark.

The dark ink stood out in stark contrast to the teen's pale skin. The tattoo was made up of three semi circles that intertwined with each other, the ends curling in on themselves like choking vines. It wasn't large, but it looked complex. More complex than other similar marks Dean had ever seen. In the centre was thick black cross.

"You recognise it?" Dean asked as he looked over to his brother. Sam shook his head as he stared at the symbol. "Me neither." He sighed, releasing the girl from his grip. She crawled away from him, pressing her back to the concrete wall as she glared back at them.

They straightened up and made their way out of the room, passing Bobby on the way who seemed to be in some kind of daze. Dean could practically see his mind racing behind his eyes.

"Bobby?" he questioned with a frown.

"I uh." He cleared his throat. "I gotta go check something." And then he was gone. Dean caught Sam's eyes who was sending him a look. He shrugged back in response as they made their way back upstairs.

It was about twenty minutes later when the older hunter emerged from his study carrying a bulky hardcover.

"I knew I'd seen it before," he could be heard muttering to himself as he made his way over to Sam and Dean.

"Bobby, did you find something?" He nodded with a sigh as he planted the book on the table in front of the brothers. It was a thick book, and as it slammed down on the table, a cloud of dusk rose into the air.

"Yeah," he replied. "And it's not possession." The page showed the same symbol that was engraved into Ali's skin in black ink. Sam frowned at it as he checked the spine of the book. It read _World of Witches: Volume 13._

"So, what is it?" Dean asked as he stared at the detail descriptions and explanations that covered the page.

"Nothing good," Bobby replied with a sigh. "She's hexed."

* * *

 **AN: So Ali's most definitely not acting like herself. Would love to know what you guys thought of this chapter and what you think might happen next!**

 **Also, what has everyone's favourite chapter been so far/fave part of the story been? I'll try and include stuff that everyone likes or wants to read :)** **Thanks to everyone who's reading this story!** **Let me know what you thought, much love x**


	20. Chapter 20 - Electra

Sam Winchester wouldn't necessarily call himself as expert when it came to witch magic (or anything else of that kind) but when he was confronted with something bad, he knew it was bad.

"A hex?" he questioned. Just saying the word in relation to Ali made his skin crawl. "How'd she even pick something like this up?"

"Yeah, this thing is old," Dean said, flicking through to the next page to see if there was any more information. "And dark."

"She got it from a witch," Bobby replied. "There's no doubt about that." The Winchester brothers couldn't understand it. How on earth had Ali managed to get hexed whilst spending all her time with them? It didn't make any sense.

"I thought hexes had to be used with some kind of cursed object?" Sam asked. "Like a coin or a hex bag."

"Usually, they do," Bobby agreed. "But not always."

"I've never heard of a sigil being used as a hex," Dean said with a frown.

"Well according to this," Bobby started, gesturing to the text. "The sigil isn't actually the hex. The sigil is used to bind the hex to the target, but that's it."

"So, Ali's the target?" Sam questioned. Bobby nodded. "What does the hex do?" The older hunter sighed as he rubbed his scruffy beard anxiously. He knew they weren't going to like what he was about to say.

"Originally, the hex was used to cure people of conflicting thoughts or emotional turmoil. Witch covens used to cast them on their members to help them focus. Supposedly, if all their thoughts and emotions were congruent within them, their magic would be better. Something to do with clarity of mind."

"Okay," Dean said, still not fully understanding Bobby's explanation. "But Ali isn't a witch. Why would someone want to do that to her?"

"Like you said," Bobby continued. "This kind of magic is old. Hexes change over the years, some becoming more sinister. Witches started using it against their enemies to turn them against each other, though some still believe the hex has curative properties. Whoever gave to her might've thought they were doing her a favour."

"A favour," Dean scoffed as he stood up. "You call giving someone a hex a favour!" He ran a hand through his hair as he tried to wrap his head around what Bobby was saying.

"So how does it work?" Sam asked. "How does it cure people of emotional turmoil?" He spoke like the words sounded ridiculous.

"The hex works by splitting the mind into two parts," Bobby explained. "These parts become isolated from one another, forming different conscious states."

"Like different personalities?" Sam questioned. He nodded.

"Sometimes they're aware of the other's existence, but sometimes not at all. They can have different agendas, different motivations, different memories… the works. The point of them is that they're supposed to vie for control, and which ever one is stronger, gets to take the reins. And that's how the covens believed their witches could achieve congruent thoughts. If one of the two conflicting personalities could take over, the person would be able to focus because the conflict would be gone."

"That's what she said," Dean blurted out, his mind flashing back to earlier that day. "She said that because of her, Ali has the focus to get what she wants."

"What did it say she wants?" Bobby asked as he held his breath, unsure whether he wanted to hear the answer.

"Revenge," Dean replied, still unsure why she wanted revenge in the first place. Bobby shifted uncomfortably at Dean's words.

"But how could this help a person?" Sam cut in. "It doesn't make any sense."

"The hex has been altered from the way it was originally. Now, it doesn't so much split the mind," Bobby explained. "It takes ideas and traits from a person and creates a whole new persona from that, specific to each person. Whoever we have locked in my basement isn't Allison Venator. She might have her memories, but it's not her. The hex created a completely new person inside her head. It's a knock-off version who's only focused on destruction."

"So how do we get rid of it?" Dean asked. It was the question he'd been meaning to ask for the entirety of Bobby's explanation. He needed to know. He wanted to rip that thing out of her and kill it. He wanted Ali back. He wanted her safe.

"That's the thing," Bobby said despairingly. "According to the book, only when the conflict is resolved will the hex be broken."

"Are you saying the only thing we can do is wait until one of them wins control over the other?" Sam asked. "What if it's not Ali?" Bobby locked eyes with the younger Winchester but didn't say a word. That gave Sam his answer. Bobby didn't know.

"Are you frickin kidding me?" Dean asked. "We're supposed to just sit around and leave Ali's fate to a coin toss?"

"No," Bobby replied sternly. "But interfering with the hex before the conflict is complete could have drastic consequences." He sighed, his eyes shifting between the boys. "For all of us."

* * *

Dean stared at the girl in front of him, her blonde hair matted over her face. Her eyes seemed to mock him as he stood in the basement opposite her. Bobby was supposed to be the one down here with her, but Dean had convinced him to get some rest.

"I know what you are," he said, his voice even as he tried to remain strong and unafraid.

"Then you know I'm just a human, Dean," she replied, her face contorted into an expression of innocence. She didn't fool him. "I have a soul. I'm just like you," she tried. "Just like Ali."

"No, you're not," he said, his jaw tight as he slowly shook his head. "You're a virus. A vulgar parasite living inside a seventeen-year-old girl."

"I'm a person, Dean," she replied, her eyes sad. "It's not my fault if God didn't give me my own body."

"That doesn't mean you can hijack someone else's," he spat. Her eyes grew dark, the innocent façade melting away. "What's your name anyways?"

"I have many names," she replied, her voice almost sounding polyphonic. "But you can call me Electra."

"Electra?" he repeated back to her. A smirk fell on her lips. "I'm gonna find a way to get ridda you. And then I'm sending you right back where you came from." Her lips twitched up in a smile, the corners of her mouth creasing in amusement.

"Back where I came from?" she asked, tilting her head to the side. Dean realised his mistake and straightened up before turning to leave. "It's sad really." Her voice pulled him back and he turned to face her.

"What?"

"You see her every day," she said in a low voice. _Her_. Dean knew she meant Ali. "But you still don't _see_."

"What are you talking about?" Dean asked with a frown.

"How alone she is," Electra told him. The elder Winchester tensed as he watched her. "She tries so hard to impress you, Dean. To make you proud. To feel like she's worthy." He swallowed, her words twisting deep within him. He tried to ignore her, but there was something poking at his brain that told him she was completely right. "It's all she thinks about. It consumes her."

"Stop," he said, his voice almost inaudible. He didn't want her to continue. He didn't want to have to hear the rest.

"But deep down, she knows she'll never be one of you," Electra continued. "She'll never be a Winchester. So, she created me. I was born from Ali's mind." Her voice was accusatory. "She needed me."

"She doesn't need you," Dean argued.

"She does," Electra snapped back. "I'm her escape. When I take over she doesn't have to deal with reality. She doesn't have to feel alone."

"She's not alone," he protested again. "She has me and Sam." He paused. "She has Bobby."

"Then why does she keep letting me in, Dean?" she asked, stepping closer as she raised her voice at him. "Why does she let me take over?" The elder Winchester shook his head. It was a mistake coming in here with her. It was a mistake to listen to anything she had to say. She was manipulative and destructive.

"You're lying," he said, turning once again to leave.

"Maybe," she said as Dean opened to door and shut it behind him. "Maybe not." Dean paused outside the door and out of Electra's view to hear her finish before he ascended the stairs. "It doesn't matter," she continued sinisterly. "Ali will be gone soon anyway."

* * *

Dean found Sam in Bobby's study, his nose buried in a book and his hand scrolling through a website on his laptop. Red and orange flames crackled in the fire place – the only source of warmth in the house, though it didn't do much to cut the icy feeling of dread that pervaded the property. Ever since Bobby had revealed what had happened to Ali, he'd been reading as much as he could on similar hexes to see if he could find a way to expel Electra from Ali's mind safely.

"No, but uh, I found something else," he informed his brother. "And you're gonna wanna hear this." Dean frowned and took a step closer to his brother, indicating for him to continue. "So, there's this note at the bottom on this page," he said, gesturing to the book that Bobby had found which told them all about the hex. "And I finished translating it." Dean raised his eyebrows at him.

"Well, what did it say?"

"It says that the sigil only reveals itself when the internal conflict it close to resolution," he replied.

"What does that mean?" Dean asked desperately, noticing how stressed Sam seemed.

"It means we're running out of time," he explained. "I mean, we have no idea how long that thing has been there. Dean, I – I don't know if we're gonna find a way to stop it." Dean released a long breath as he ran his hands over his face.

"What are we supposed to do?" he asked, shaking his head.

"I guess we just have to hope that Ali's strong enough to-."

"Strong enough?" Dean asked incredulously. "Ali hasn't been _Ali_ in days! How's she gonna be strong enough to fight for control?"

"I dunno," Sam replied sombrely. Dean took a defeated seat next to his brother. "Maybe if we knew the witch that gave it to her we could figure out how to reverse it." The elder Winchester nodded, deciding that Sam was right.

They decided that divide and conquer was the best approach. Dean decided to check the girl's room whilst Sam looked through her things. There had to be some kind of clue to determine where Ali could've gotten the hex from.

What made things a little trickier though was the anklet. Through his reading, Sam had managed to work out its significance. It all came down to the tiny black stones Sam had identified as black tourmaline when he'd first noticed the girl wearing it a few weeks after they'd met.

 _"_ _Bobby said it's for protection,"_ Sam remembered Ali telling him. _"_ _But he didn't say what against."_

 _"_ _Well some people think it protects against black magic,"_ Sam had informed her as he punched at the keys on his computer, pulling up numerous web pages to show her. _"_ _But it's more associated with positivity and protecting the mind."_

The hex could've laid dormant, subdued by the protective qualities the anklet possessed, for months. As long as the anklet was on, the hex wouldn't've been able to infiltrate her mind. That was why Electra had seemingly been so afraid of it. She saw it as a threat.

Of course, this meant that the Winchester's were working from a seemingly infinite time frame. They had no idea how long it could've been since Ali picked up the hex.

"Found anything?" Dean asked as he riffled through another one of Ali's drawers. He knew she'd probably kill him for it later, but right now, he didn't care.

"Not yet," Sam said as he turned out the pockets of her jacket. "All I got is an empty packet of gum and a business card for _Orientem Fortunes_ ," he read, frowning at the name. "I thought Ali wasn't in to that kinda stuff."

"She isn't," Dean replied with a sigh, pulling out another drawer from the dresser. Sam let out a dry chuckle as turned over the card in his hands, his eyes suddenly widening.

"Hey Dean?" he said urgently, slapping his brother on the arm. "Check this out?" Dean left the half empty drawer on the ground and walked over to him. "Look at this pattern." He pulled the card from Sam's hand to get a closer look. It was faint and in the background, but it was most definitely the same.

The pair raced downstairs to the book containing the information about the hex. Dean stared at the pattern on the business card before looking at the pattern on the pages behind the information. They were identical.

"What does this mean?" Dean asked out loud.

"What does what mean?" a tired looking Bobby asked from the stairs, clearly having come down after hearing all the commotion from the Winchesters.

"Does the name _'_ _Orientem Fortunes'_ mean anything to you?" Sam asked, holding up the business card to the older hunter.

"I don't know about fortunes," Bobby said, walking over to them. "But I've sure as hell heard of the Orientem Witches."

"Witches?" Dean asked apprehensively. Could it be that Ali had picked up the hex from a witch masquerading as a fortune teller?

"Yeah," Bobby replied. "They were a powerful coven back in the day, but a number of them went dark side, and hunters ended up having to destroy all of them. The magic they were using terrorised people. They killed hundreds until they were finally put a stop to," he explained. "Apparently the Venators played a big role in taking them down." Sam and Dean shared a look.

"Do you think that might be a reason they'd want to get revenge?" Dean asked wearily. "Like maybe on Ali?"

"I mean, in theory," Bobby replied. "But this all went down in the 1800s. We're talking a hundred and fifty years ago at least. And they were all killed."

"What if one of them survived?" Sam asked. "What if they gave the hex to Ali?" Bobby's blood ran cold as he stared at the card Sam was showing him.

"That's gotta be it," the younger Winchester replied. "Do you remember where she got that?" Dean's teeth gritted together as he nodded, feeling a thick blanket of guilt settle inside him.

"Yeah, I remember," he replied, his mind wandering to that godforsaken town he and Ali had spent a couple of days in whilst looking for Sam. "But it's hours away, Sammy. We don't have enough time." He was scared. Uncharacteristically, Dean Winchester was actually completely terrified by something.

"Well I guess we just have to hope…"

"Hope?" Dean yelled disbelievingly at his brother. "Who are we kidding, Sam? Electra's been in control the entire time. If we can't find a way to get her out of Ali's body, there's no stopping her!"

"What if we can't, Dean?" Sam asked back. "What do we do if Electra takes over and Ali's gone forever?" Dean swallowed thickly. He knew exactly what Sam was getting at. He was asking whether they'd have to kill her, just like John had warned him about Sam. "You promised Dad you'd do it to me."

"It won't get to that," Dean argued.

"And what if it does?" Sam shouted. The elder Winchester shook his head, trying to focus.

"Then we'll cross that bridge when we come to it," he replied.

"No, you won't," Bobby replied, speaking up for the first time after hearing Sam and Dean argue over Ali's fate. "It's not your decision." The older hunter reached into one of the desk drawers and pulled out a riffle before turning towards the basement stairs.

"Bobby…?" Dean asked fearfully, but he didn't listen, already descending the steps to where the girl in question was.

* * *

"Which one of you is gonna do it?" the girl, Electra, asked, her eyes lowered, her voice empty. "You or Dean?" Bobby's jaw tightened as he held the rifle to his chest.

"Neither. We're not gonna hurt you, Ali," he replied as he stared at the girl he knew so well. Now, her body seemed like just a shell: the innocent enough exterior encasing something dark within. Her hollow eyes flickered from the rifle in his hands to his face as if she were daring him to pull the trigger. Truth be told, when Bobby had grabbed the weapon from his desk and headed down to the basement, he hadn't been sure what he'd do with it. Now, seeing the girl he considered family, he couldn't do it. He couldn't kill her.

Electra spoke with no emotion other than urgency.

"Come on," she enticed. "All three of you know there's no other way out. Whoever little miss Venator was is long gone now. You're only left with me." He eyes were so wild and erratic when she finished that Bobby thought she might explode into hysterical laughter. But she remained silent, the ever-growing distance between the two of them somehow elongating.

"Go on," she whispered. "You wouldn't be the first hunter to put a bullet in a Venator." Bobby's eyebrows raised in shock at her words, though he wasn't sure why. He knew exactly what she was referring to, but they hadn't spoke of it in years.

"Go on," she urged again as beads of sweat started to form on the hunter's forehead. "Do it." Her voice was intense and Bobby shut his eyes to try and block it out. "Do it!"

Bobby pulled back and with a shout of his own he fired the riffle, the bullet chipping off a piece of concrete on the wall behind where the girl stood. Her brow furrowed in shock and what seemed like anger. Bobby was gripping he weapon in front of him as he breathed heavily. His expression was a similar one of shock and grief as if he hadn't been sure whether he was really going to do it or not.

"I already had to kill my wife," he said, refusing to crack under the load of despair and grief he felt. "I will not kill my daughter too." With that, Bobby turned away from her, his eyes watering as he refused to cry. He slammed the metal door shut, taking a moment to compose himself before ascending the stairs of the basement.

He hated it. He hated not knowing how to help the people he cared about. He hated feeling like he couldn't do anything to stop the inevitable. But most of all he hated the fear. Even if none of them had the strength to put a bullet in the girl, he feared they would still lose her.

* * *

"I don't like this, Sammy," Dean said as he and his brother sat in the salvage yard surrounded by old cars and rust. "You know, with all the crap that's been going on with you, I've not been paying her any attention," he admitted, taking a sip of his drink. He'd switched from beer to whisky and was now halfway through one of Bobby's bottles. "I mean, maybe if I'd noticed something was up sooner she might've…"

"Dean," Sam said, clearing his throat. "It's not your fault."

"It is, Sam," he insisted, his eyes down cast. The sound of gunfire from the basement they'd heard whilst in the study had jolted both of them, though they were both relieved when Bobby finally emerged and told them that Ali was fine. Well, as fine as she could be given the circumstances. "I was supposed to be watching out for her." The guilt Dean felt was crushing. "She got hexed because I didn't do my job properly. That's on me."

"It's not your job to watch her twenty-four-seven, Dean," Sam said, trying to reassure his brother that he had nothing to feel guilty for. Truth be told, Sam felt his own guilt in the pit of his stomach. If he hadn't run off then Ali and Dean never would've been in that town in the first place on their way to look for him. "She's seventeen years old. You can't know where she is all the time."

"No." Dean shook his head. This _was_ his fault. Nothing Sam could say would convince him otherwise. Even if part of the reason he and Ali had been in that town was because Sam ran off, that'd only happened because of him. If he'd been honest with Sam about his father from the start, none of this would've happened. "No, I should've been there. I let her go off alone – I didn't think." He spat the words, the anger he felt with himself evident in his voice. "Bobby trusted me to take care of her, and I let him down. I let her down." He laughed humourlessly. "You know, sometimes I wonder what we were thinking."

"Dean," Sam tried, sensing where his brother's train of thought was heading.

"I mean, what was I thinking? She's a kid! We were supposed to help her find what killed her brother and then she was supposed to come right back here," Dean said, monologuing his thoughts. It seemed like yesterday he and Ali had sat outside their motel rooms when they'd barely known each other. He remembered exactly what she'd said to convince him to help. It was what she'd said about her brother. "Two months," Dean said. "I gave her two months, and how long has it been now? Nearly a year?" He shook his head. "How did that happen?"

"Because she's more than just a case we never got around to solving, Dean," Sam said like it was the most obvious thing in the world, which to him, it was. "Because you care about her."

"I can't take care of her," Dean admitted sadly. "I can't take care of you." Sam shook his head. "I can barely take care of myself!" Sam wanted to protest, but Dean silenced him with a look as he took another long mouthful of his drink. "You know what, even if Ali gets through this…" His hands tightened around the bottle. "I'm not sure things will ever go back to how they were before. They can't."

"Do you think that's what Ali wants?" Sam asked incredulously. "Do you really think she wants out of the hunting game?"

"If it keeps her safe," Dean began. "I don't think I care." With that, he pulled himself up and made his way back inside. Sam sighed as he watched his brother leave. He didn't agree with what Dean had said. If Ali _did_ make it through, there was no way she'd ever give up hunting. He saw the way she admired them, especially Dean. She seemed to light up whenever they were on a hunt. Sam thought it probably had something to do with Tyler. Bobby had mentioned to him at one point how alike he and Dean were. Sam knew that if the elder Winchester ever told Ali she couldn't hunt with them anymore, she'd be devastated. Even more importantly, it'd probably mean she'd try to hunt alone, meaning she'd be in even more danger.

But Sam couldn't blame Dean for what he had said. He'd always been the one to take responsibility for things when they went wrong, even from a young age. It was no surprise that Dean was taking the weight of what had happened to Ali the hardest. It was his fatal floor. He always thought it was his fault.

* * *

Time dragged by as Sam, Bobby and Dean flicked through journals, spell books and any other lore they could get their hands on to see if they could figure out how to save Ali. So far, the search hadn't come up with anything useful.

Dean turned back to the original book they'd found the hex in, staring at the sigil and rereading the paragraphs he'd looked at a hundred times in the last few hours. He couldn't understand how something like this could've happened right under his nose. _Witches?_ Witches with an agenda that Ali's family thought they'd defeated years ago?

Another read of the book didn't give Dean any knew information and he found himself growing irritable. He needed to figure out how to get Electra out of Ali's body, and fast. Suddenly, an idea came to him. It wasn't exactly one he liked, but they were in no position to be picky.

"Sam?" The younger Winchester looked up expectantly. "We got any Van Van oil?" Sam frowned at his brother, but pointed towards the corner of the room anyway.

"Second shelf down," he said tentatively, his eyes following Dean across the room as he grabbed the jar of oil and made his way over to the fire place. "Dean, what are you doing?" Sam asked, his voice worried as he watched his brother dip the end of a fire iron in the Van Van oil and hold it in the flames.

"The book says the sigil binds the hex to the host, right?" Dean said, turning the metal rod in the fire until it started to glow a deep orange. "So, if we get rid of the sigil, maybe the hex will go with it." Sam stared at his brother, gobsmacked.

"You can't be serious?" he asked.

"Do I look like I'm kidding?" Dean barked back, sending Sam a stern look.

"What's going on in here?" Bobby asked as he walked up the stairs from the basement having heard the disorder above.

"Dean's going to burn the sigil off her back," Sam yelled, pointing an accusing finger at his brother. "The book talks about what could happen if you interfere with the hex before its complete, Dean. There are gonna be _consequences_!"

"Yeah? And what consequence is worse that Electra taking over Ali's body permanently, huh?" he asked back. "What's worse than one of us having to put a bullet in her head?!" The younger Winchester glared back at his brother as they stared each other down. Dean was the first to break eye contact and sighed before returning the fire iron to the flames.

"Bobby, you can't think this is a good idea," Sam protested, now pleading with the older hunter to talk some sense into his brother. "He's only doing this because he feels guilty!"

"Enough!" Bobby was done listening to the two boys bicker about what was right for the girl they all cared about. Truth be told, he wasn't sure what was the right thing to do anymore. It seemed that whatever they did, the outcome wasn't what they wanted. _What was that saying? Damned if you do…_

Dean turned at Bobby's shout, sad eyes locking with the older hunter's.

"I have to do this, Bobby," he said grimly, his voice thick. "It's the only way to get her back." They stared at each other for a long moment, both unblinking and unsure of what the future held. Finally, Bobby nodded, his eyes downcast as he stepped to the side to let Dean pass.

The elder Winchester headed straight for the basement, Sam hot on his heels. He threw the cell door open and beelined for the girl who was sitting against the wall, her eyes wide when she saw the hot poker.

"What's that for?" she asked apprehensively as she shuffled away. "Dean, what are you doing?"

"What has to be done," he replied evenly, his mind only focused on the task he had to complete. If he let himself think about anything else, he wouldn't be able to do it. He couldn't let her get to him. He grabbed her by the shoulder with his free hand and pulled her away from the wall, trying to ignore the way she shuddered at his touch in fear. She squirmed in his grasp as she shouted for help, much like she had done earlier that day. _It's not Ali. It's not Ali._ He repeated it to himself over and over as he tried to keep her still.

"Sammy, a little help here?" he called to his brother, looking over his shoulder to see a similar look of fear on his face as the girl herself. Behind him, Bobby stood at the door, his eyes hard and misty.

"Dean, I…"

"Now Sam!" he barked, causing the younger Winchester to stumble over and take a hold of blonde girl's shoulders.

"You're gonna regret this, Winchester," Electra spat as she tried and failed to free herself from the pair's hold on her. Dean gritted his teeth together to keep a grip on himself. _This was the only way. He didn't have a choice._

"Sorry Ali," he mumbled under his breath before pressing the hot fire iron against the sigil. She screamed, and this time it was real. Dean tried to block out the sound as the smell of burning flesh met his nose. He knew she was in pain. He knew Ali would be in pain. He shook his head, focusing on making sure he removed all traces of the black ink from her back.

Suddenly, as she screamed, it was like something was pushing out of her skin, trying to separate itself from her. Dean jumped back in shock, the iron clattering to the floor beside him as she stood up. It was like his vision had gone fuzzy, or like he was seeing double. But he knew he wasn't. It was as if Ali's body was splitting in two and one was stepping out of the other. The two divided, the new figure seeming ghost like. She was so translucent that Dean could see the outline of Sam standing behind her _through_ her. Her eyes were dark, and the elder Winchester knew exactly which one she was.

He grabbed the iron from the floor and raised it to strike, but before he had a chance, her body seemed to evaporate right in front of him and she disappeared into thin air.

"Al?" Bobby said quietly, and Dean turned to see that he was staring at the blonde girl who was on the ground. She sat up, her eyes confused and disorientated. They seemed to focus when they caught sight of the older hunter who had stepped towards her.

"Bobby?" she asked in a similarly quiet voice. Dean sighed in relief. She was back. Ali held a hand to her forehead, her head feeling too heavy for her shoulders. Her eyes blinked deliriously and before anyone could say anything else, she slumped down on the concrete.

* * *

A few hours had passed since the hex had seemingly gone but the tension in the air was still dense. Ali had yet to regain consciousness, but after checking her over to make sure she was breathing and still had a pulse, Bobby had decided that she just needed rest. The burn on her back was pretty serious, but nothing that wouldn't heal with time. Bobby just hoped that was the only wound the hex had left.

"How'd you know the oil would work?" Sam asked as the three of them sat around the kitchen table, each sipping on a much-needed beer.

"I didn't," Dean admitted. "I just knew that it's supposedly meant to be able to get rid of evil." He shook his head to clear his thoughts as he cracked open another couple of bottles and offered one to Bobby. "Doesn't matter anyways. It's over now."

"Is it?" Sam asked, looking up from where he'd been absentmindedly fiddling with Ali's anklet. "I mean, what the hell was that thing?" His mind had replayed the image of the ghostly figure disappearing into the air a thousand times.

"Some kind of personified form of the hex?" Bobby suggested. "Electra, or whatever her name was."

"It doesn't matter what it was," Dean cut in dismissively. "It's not in Ali anymore. Electra's gone."

"But she's still out there, Dean," Sam argued. "We didn't kill her. We just… set her free."

"So, what?" the elder Winchester asked, suddenly irritated by how negative everyone was being. As far as he was concerned, this was a victory. "The book says the hex becomes specific to each person. Even if Electra is out there, she can't get into anyone else and she can't get back inside Ali as long as the sigil is gone." Sam sighed. He had to agree with Dean on this one. Even if Electra was now walking free, she couldn't harm anyone else.

"Is she gonna be okay?" he asked, his question directed at Bobby who nodded tiredly.

"We'll know more when she wakes up," he said. "But she should be fine." The three fell into silence, each of them thinking over the events of the last few days. It'd been non-stop since Ali had gone missing from the motel room and none of them had had a moment to process everything that'd happened.

"There's one thing I still don't understand," Sam said, breaking the silence. "Electra said that Ali wanted revenge. Revenge on Dean and I." Bobby stiffened, his hand holding the beer tightening around the bottle.

"She was probably talking about Tyler," Bobby said dismissively. "She messed with Ali's head and somehow twisted Tyler's death to make it seem like it was your fault."

"No," Sam said, shaking his head. "She said she wasn't talking about Tyler." Bobby could feel his palms go sweaty as Dean's eyes narrowed in thought.

"Then who was she talking about?" the elder Winchester asked, and Bobby realised that a secret he and a handful of others had tried to keep quiet for so long was finally being brought to the surface, and given Sam and Dean's curiosity, there was no way he could keep it buried for much longer.

* * *

 **AN: Hope you liked this chapter!**

 **Would love to hear your thoughts on what you think might happen next? And do you think Dean's actions will have any consequences?**

 **Let me know what you want to see more of/less of. Hope you all had great weekends! Much love x**


	21. Chapter 21 - But Silence Kills

**AN: This chapter contains flashbacks which are _italicised._**

 **Enjoy :)**

* * *

"Who was she talking about?" Dean asked again, his fingers drumming against the side of his beer bottle. It was the million-dollar question. A question that Bobby knew the answer too. He wasn't supposed to say, but the two men in front of him weren't people who were going to just let it go. When a Winchester wanted something, they found a way to get it.

Bobby sighed. "Did Ali ever tell you what killed her parents?" Sam and Dean shared a look before their eyes fixed on the older hunter.

"She said it was a car crash," Sam remembered, his mind wondering back to the night in the motel room.

"She never told me that," Dean said with a frown, a flash of hurt running through him.

"Did you ever ask?" Sam asked, knowing the question would be rhetorical. He already knew the answer anyway. Bobby shook his head, his eyes glazing over.

"It wasn't a car crash that killed Elliot and Katherine," he said grimly, causing both the Winchesters' eyes to widen.

"What do you mean?" Sam asked carefully. "How'd they die?"

"I'm not the one to tell you, boys," he said, standing up from the kitchen table to put the empty beer bottles in the trash.

"Bobby, you can't just say something like that and-."

"It's not for me to say." His voice was deadly serious. There was a click from the door and Bobby, Dean and Sam turned to see Ali standing just inside the kitchen. From the look on her face and the slightly awkward was she was standing, it was clear she'd heard what they were talking about.

"Hey, kiddo," Bobby said, his eyes lighting up at the sight of the tired looking girl who was back to herself. She smiled weakly at him, rolling her shoulders to try and relax them. She looked a little disorientated, but that was to be expected. Bobby gestured for her to take a seat at the table and she did without much hesitation, grateful to be able to rest her legs.

Ali sat slumped against the table, her elbows on the surface with her hands holding her head up.

"What happened?" she asked as she massaged her temples. She felt dehydrated and hungry, though she doubted she would be able to keep anything she ate down.

"It's uh, kind of a long story," Sam said with a small chuckle, trying to lighten the mood. The mood refused to be lightened. "What do you remember?"

"I remember being hungover," she said with a slight groan. Under different circumstances, Sam was sure Bobby would've shot him and Dean chastising looks. "I remember the case. That guy…"

"Yeah, that was a few days ago now," Dean said in a gruff tone, taking a swig of his beer. Ali looked up at the elder Winchester across the table. Something was off with him.

"Do you remember anything else?" Sam asked. Ali thought for a moment, wracking her brain to try and remember the lost time. She came up with nothing and shook her head.

"No I-I don't remember how we got here," she said slowly, frowning. "And I feel like my insides have been ripped out of me." Her back was killing her, but she didn't mention it. She also didn't notice the exchange of glances that occurred between the two Winchesters. "What the hell happened to me?"

"You got hexed," Sam said. Ali's chest tightened, a long pause following Sam's words. It was Bobby who spoke up next as he shot the two boys warning looks.

"Let's not get into that now," the older hunter said. "You gotta be hungry, Al." She heard him make his way over to the fridge and pull out whatever food was in there and she didn't tell him to stop. She was silenced by the way Dean was looking at her curiously, his eyes narrowed as if he was working something out. Fitting pieces of a puzzle together without knowing what the final product was supposed to look like. She avoided them as much as she could.

"Ali," the elder Winchester started in a low voice. The teen could feel her palms becoming sweaty. "What happened to your parents?"

"Dean!" Bobby warned harshly, slamming the plate of leftovers down on the counter. Sam held a similar expression to Bobby, though he didn't chastise his brother. He wanted to know the truth just as much as Dean did.

"It's gotta be something bad, right?" he asked, his green eyes locked with hers as she glared back at him. "Otherwise you wouldn't've _lied_ to Sam about it." Ali felt instantly guilty. She knew she'd lied to Sam, but she'd only done it because she thought the truth would be so much worse. She didn't want them to know. It would ruin everything.

"I'm sorry I lied about it," she said in a small voice, her apologetic eyes fixed on Sam. He looked confused, but it was nothing compared to the betrayal she could see in Dean's eyes out of the corner of her eye. If betrayal was what he felt now, Ali couldn't begin to imagine how he'd feel after she told him the truth.

"Ali... What's going on?" Sam asked softly. She couldn't believe what was happening. She wanted to run upstairs to her room and never come out.

"I wanted to tell you," she said, her eyes sad and distressed. "I didn't know how."

"Tell us what?" Dean asked, his green eyes piercing into her blue ones. "Tell us what, Ali?" She sighed, fearful of what the next few moments would hold. She looked to Bobby who had a grim expression on his face. He nodded to her supportively. The gesture told her that he thought it was time. Time for her to tell them the truth. She sighed, catching Dean's eye before deciding she needed to fess up. From the expression on the elder Winchester's face, it almost looked like he'd figured it out and was just waiting for her to confirm his suspicions. She couldn't lie again.

"You remember Croatoan?" she asked, waiting for Sam and Dean to nod before she continued. "Oregon wasn't the first time I've seen something like that." She cleared her throat, closing her eyes to try and remember the details she needed to tell them. "Something similar happened back in 1996. It was a demonic virus that made people go crazy and violent. My parents were called to help, but something went wrong. My mom got hurt..."

 _"Tyler!" Elliot Venator yelled as he carried his wife through the front door of their home a few miles outside of Denver, Colorado. "Tyler! I need some towels, now!" The young teenager scampered down the stairs at the sound of his father's worried voice, his eyes widening when he caught sight of his mother's bloodied body._

 _"What happened?" he asked as Elliot laid his wife on the kitchen table. "Dad, what-?"_

 _"Towels, Tyler," he instructed, cutting off his son. Tyler nodded in understanding and raced out of the room. Elliot pressed his hands to the worst of his wife's wounds, his fingers becoming drenched in her blood. "Come on, Katie," he mumbled to her, trying to keep focused. "Stay with me."_

 _"Daddy?" Elliot's eyes snapped towards the door where his youngest was standing, her tiny form shaking as she looked up at him._

 _"Go upstairs, baby," he said, forcing a smile on his lips to try and reassure his daughter. "It's okay."_

"I just remember seeing so much blood," Ali said as she remembered the gory scene. "I remember seeing my mom on the table. She was so still. I thought she was dead."

"What happened?" Sam asked, his face anguished as he listened to the frightening story. Ali took a deep breath, trying to prepare herself for telling the rest.

"Like I said, I thought she was dead, and my father told me to leave the room." She swallowed thickly, remembering vividly what happened next. "But she wasn't dead. She was infected..."

 _Katherine thrashed and lunged at her husband, her eyes deranged as she tried to attack him with a kitchen knife._

 _"Mom!"_

 _"Stay back, Tyler!" Elliot warned his distressed son as he tried to fight her off. She was still bleeding from her abdomen, but it didn't seem to bother her or be detrimental to her attack. She was animalistic as she swiped the blade in his direction, but Elliot Venator was expertly trained and could disarm her even with her enhanced abilities. Once she'd dropped the knife, he pushed her against the wall, managing to handcuff one of her wrists to the tea towel rail._

 _He stepped back away from her once she was secure and watched as she still tried to break free._

 _"What's wrong with her?" Tyler asked his father as he tried to hold back tears and the sight of his own mother trying desperately to get free so she could slaughter all of them._

 _"She has the virus," Elliot replied grimly._

 _"What do we do?" the dirty blonde teen asked as his mother managed to snap the handcuffs open and lunge towards them, her wrist raw and bleeding._

 _"Call him," Elliot instructed his son as he went to restrain his wife again. "He'll help us. He knows more about this demon than I do. He'll know how to save your mom."_

 _"What if he can't help?" Tyler asked fearfully. "What if he doesn't know what to do?"_

 _"Just call him Tyler!" Elliot barked at his son, instantly regretting shouting at him. He never usually lost his temper, but the circumstances were dire and he needed the help of his friend. "Call John Winchester."_

* * *

"I never realised Dad and your parents were that close," Sam said. "I mean, I remember him talking about your family but..." He trailed off.

"They met whilst tracking down a wendigo in Montana," Ali told them. "I guess John told them about the demon he was hunting."

"Katherine and Elliot were the ones who introduced me to your old man," Bobby said.

"So what happened when he showed up?" Dean asked, a knowing look in his eyes. It wasn't hard to guess. Hunter plus woman infected with killer demon virus didn't equal a happy ending…

 _Allison could hear the sound of her father arguing with someone from where she stood on the stairs, her small hands gripping the banister. All she wanted was to see her mom, but Elliot had told her to stay upstairs. She bit her lip nervously, her neck straining to try and see her father down the corridor and the man she didn't recognise._ _Finally, her curiosity got the better of her and she tentatively stepped down onto the hard wood floor, leaving the safely of the carpeted staircase._

 _As she approached the kitchen door, a shred of fear passed through her. She didn't know where Tyler was, but she wanted him with her. She was never afraid when her brother was around. She spotted the men at the end of the corridor, but they didn't see her._

 _"My kids need their mother. You of all people should understand that," the girl could hear her father saying as she approached the kitchen door._

 _"She's already gone," the other man said in a voice she didn't recognise. Already gone? Where had her mother already gone?_

 _She rattled the handle of the door, but found it was locked. Why would it be locked? Wasn't her mother inside? She pressed her ear to the door, trying to see if she could hear anything inside._

 _"Mommy?" she whispered, before jumping back when something hit the other side of the door. And then she was crying, terrified tears streaming down her face as pieces of wood splintered and she could see her mother's angry face from the hole the knife had made in the door._

 _She cried, frozen against the wall as Katherine broke through the door like she was part of a horror movie. That's exactly what it felt like. Once she'd broken through enough to get a hand through, she tried to grab at her daughter, her wild eyes animalistic._

 _"Allison!" Elliot yelled, grabbing his daughter's arm and pulling her away before his wife could hurt her. She was screaming, terrified and confused as her father lifted her up and cradled her against his chest._

 _"Shhh, it's okay," he hushed his daughter as she pressed her face into his shoulder, her tears dampening his shirt. "Don't cry, baby. Mommy didn't mean it." She was shaking and Elliot wondered if he'd done the right thing in bringing his wife home. He wondered his he'd done the right thing in bringing up his children in the world of hunting._

 _"Is Mommy a demon?" she asked quietly, the sound of her voice causing Elliot's heart to break._

 _"No, baby, she's not a demon," he said as he held his daughter close. "She's just sick, and we're gonna make her better."_

 _"Like when Tyler was sick and we got medicine from the doctor?" she asked, looking up at him with her big blue eyes. Elliot couldn't help but tear up. She was so innocent. So untainted by his world until that night when her own mother had tried to kill her._

 _"No, honey," he said, shaking his head. "But we can still fix her. That's why Uncle John's here. He knows what to do."_

 _"Elliot." The strange man's voice was deep as he spoke, a warning tone to it. Elliot new what he was warning against. He was warning against giving false promises. He was warning against telling his children lies. He watched as the man pulled a pistol from his belt and walked into the kitchen when he'd subdued Katherine on the floor._

 _"John," he pleaded with the man. "She's my wife." Elliot's eyes were filled with tears, and as he stared at his friend with the weapon in his hand, he could see the regret in his expression for what he was about to do. "She's my wife!" he screamed as he clung to his youngest. John Winchester turned but didn't meet his eyes._

 _"She's not your wife anymore," he said seriously, his voice even. "I'm sorry." Despite his grief, Elliot knew John was right. He nodded to his fellow hunter, and John nodded back._

 _Allison held onto her father tightly as she felt him slide down the wall, his body shaking as she heard his sobs. She heard the kitchen door behind her click shut, not yet really understanding why her father was so upset and who the stranger was who'd come into their home so late at night. An eerie silence stretched through the corridor, before a gunshot rattled the house. And then she understood. She understood why her father was crying. Even in her tender age of six years old, Allison knew what the gunshot meant. Her mother was dead._

* * *

Ali shifted under the scrutinising gaze of Sam and Dean. She hadn't thought she remembered much of that fateful night, but recalling the information back to the Winchesters made it all come back to the surface. The voices. The images. They were all ingrained in her mind. No matter how hard she tried, they would never go away.

"Woah," Sam breathed as he bit his lip, eyes glancing to Dean and then back to Ali, though he didn't meet her eyes. He couldn't. "So, Dad… he uh…" He scratched the back of his ear nervously. "He was the one who…?" Ali nodded grimly, her nervous gaze shifting over to Dean to try and gage his reaction. His eyes were downcast but he looked up when he sensed that the blonde girl was watching him.

"You better tell us the rest," Dean said emotionlessly. "We all know that isn't the end of the story, right Ali?" There was an edge to his voice that Ali didn't miss. He was angry. Dean didn't like being kept in the dark. Ali knew that.

"After we heard the gunshot, Tyler ran down the stairs," Ali said, her eyes watering as she remembered the look on her brother's face. It was complete brokenness and fury. "He'd been researching ways to try and help my mom, but it was too late."

"Tell us what happened to your dad," Dean requested bluntly, his jaw tight.

"The day before, he'd cut his hand teaching Tyler to throw knives," Ali said, her voice sad. "It wasn't big, and was all bandaged up. But there was so much of my mother's blood everywhere. He said it was fine, but John questioned it immediately…"

 _"_ _She bled on you," John's voice was even. Elliot was stood over his wife's body. He'd told his distraught teenage son to wait outside the door whilst they discussed what to do with Katherine's body._

 _"_ _It was just a scratch," he dismissed as he walked over to the kitchen sink to wash his hands._

 _"_ _Are you sure?" Elliot turned to meet John's hard stare, but he didn't respond to the question. That gave John his answer._

* * *

 _"_ _Tyler, go upstairs," Allison heard her father say from inside the kitchen. She wasn't allowed in. Tyler had made that very clear. She was frightened. She didn't like listening to her brother and father fight. Most of all, she was frightened of the man she didn't recognise._

 _"_ _No," she heard Tyler say. She gasped. Her brother rarely disobeyed their father._

 _"_ _Son, take your sister and go upstairs," her father instructed again. She stood on her tip toes to see through the hole in the door her mother had made._

 _"_ _No, I'm not leaving," she heard Tyler yell again. He had his back to the door so she couldn't see his face. They all seemed so tall. So old. The room was so red. "Why are you letting him do this, Dad?" Tyler yelled, pointing to the mysterious man her father had called John. "Why?!"_

 _"_ _It's the right thing," she heard her father say sadly. Again, the blonde girl didn't understand. She hated how grownups talked about things without really saying what they were talking about. The right thing? What was the right thing?_

 _"_ _No, it's not!" Her legs grew tired and she couldn't stand on her tiptoes any longer. She sat on the floor, her back against the door as she listened. At six-years-old, listening was all she could do._

 _"_ _Put the gun down, Tyler." That was the man with the low voice. The scary man. And why did Tyler have a gun?_

 _"_ _I won't," Tyler replied defiantly. He'd definitely be grounded. Tyler wasn't allowed to have a loaded gun in the house unless it was an emergency. Was this an emergency? "Tell him to leave, Dad," Tyler was saying. He rarely talked back to his father. Allison wondered why her father wasn't yelling at him for it. "He killed mom! Why aren't you fighting back?" The young girl started to cry. They didn't kill people. Her dad had told her they only fought monsters. People were allies. Monsters were the enemy. Why was everything changing so fast? Why was Tyler yelling and why wasn't her father doing anything to stop him? Why had a stranger killed her mom?_

 _"_ _It has to be this way," she heard her father say._ _Allison didn't_ _hear the rest of the conversation. The voices overlapped with each other and all spoke loudly at the same time. Something smashed against the wall. She heard a thud as a piece of furniture was turned over. But before she knew what was happening, there was another gunshot, and then all she could hear was her brother yelling._

 _"I hate you! I hate you!" Allison could hear Tyler saying it over and over again. Screaming it over and over. The young girl wasn't sure at who._

 _"Tyler..." That was the strange man. His name was John._

 _"Don't say you're sorry! You're not sorry!" She could hear her brother yelling, his words distorted by his cries._

 _"Tyler! Listen to me." The man tried again._

 _"_ _Go to hell!" And then the kitchen door was flung open and Tyler stormed out, heading straight for the front door without looking back. Allison dove out of the way so he wouldn't trample on her. She was afraid. She'd never seen her brother so angry. She wanted her Dad. She wanted to be safe in bed with her father reading her bedtime stories._

 _She waited with her back pressed against the wall for the other man to come out, but he didn't. She tentatively pushed open the kitchen door and poked her head around. The shock of the scene that met her eyes meant she didn't cry like she had before. She just stared, unblinking at the carnage in the kitchen._

 _The dark-haired man knelt on the floor beside the two bodies. Even in her young age, Allison knew who they belonged to. It was her mother and father. She was beyond terrified, but was completely frozen still. She wanted to run away from the man who'd killed her parents, but her limbs wouldn't allow it. All she could do was watch him._

 _She sucked in a breath as the man raised his hand to her mother's face. Was he going to hit her? Tyler had told her scary stories about monsters that ate your eyes after they'd killed you. She wanted to look away. She didn't want to see the scary man mutilate her mother's body. But then the man did something completely unexpected. He trailed the back of his hand over her forehead before brushing a hand over her eyes to shut them. It was something Allison had seen in a movie once before. A grief-stricken man had done it to his wife after she'd died in hospital. She remembered her father telling Tyler off for letting her watch it._

 _Allison watched the man in her kitchen curiously. He didn't do the same thing to her father. She could see his face. Elliot's eyes were already closed. The man squeezed her mother's hand in his before laying it down by her side gently and standing up. He stopped dead in his tracks when his eyes locked with the blonde six-year-old._

Ali remembered the moment vividly. She remembered it because, apart from her father that night, it was the first time she'd ever seen a grown man cry. He'd wiped the tears away with the back of his hand as soon as he'd seen her, but didn't break eye contact. The curiosity in her eyes was compelling. Ali found the sight of someone shedding a tear for her parents hard to stomach. But she realised then that the man before her wasn't a monster at all. Monster's didn't cry. And that was the moment Ali realised that John Winchester was not a man she had to fear.

Despite the hideousness of the evening's events, Allison hadn't wanted to leave her house that night. John had to carry the crying girl to the Impala as she kicked and screamed. She'd cried for hours as they drove around the streets trying to find her brother, and when they finally found him, he hadn't come quietly either. She'd been asleep when they'd arrived at Bobby's place. Once again, he'd had to carry the sleepy six-year-old to the door whilst her brother followed wordlessly behind.

John had returned to the salvage yard a few days later with a bag of the siblings' belongings. He'd offered to drive Tyler back to the house to pick out some things himself, but Tyler had refused. Ali hadn't been given the option. In the space of one evening, her world had been condensed down into a shared suitcase and a duffle bag. In the span of a few hours, her life was changed forever.

* * *

The room was agonisingly silent. Sam sat back in his chair whilst Dean sat forward, his face resting on his fist. Bobby hadn't moved from his position by the counter.

"I suppose that's it then," Dean said, the flatness of his voice juxtaposing the array of emotions barely visible in his guarded eyes. Ali frowned.

"That's it?" she repeated back to him as if trying to understand the phrase he had used. "You're not mad?" She regretted asking instantly.

"Mad?" Dean asked as he stood up, finishing off his beer and slamming the bottle down onto the table. Ali jumped at the sound as it cut through the silence. "You think I'd be mad that you kept something like this from us?" There was an edge of bitter sarcasm to his voice that made Ali wince. "You think I'd be mad that you've been lying to us practically the whole time?!"

"I'm sorry, okay!" she yelled back. "I know I should've told you sooner but it wasn't exactly something I could just slip into conversation." Dean shook his head, a disappointed look on his face.

"You want me to tell what happened while you were hexed?" he asked, raising his brows at her. Ali had never felt so small. So childish. She felt like she was being told off in the principal's office.

"Dean…" Sam warned.

"You tried to kill us," Dean told her. "For revenge." Ali was shaking her head, tears clouding her vision.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered, not able to make her voice any louder. "Dean, I'm so sorry I hurt you."

"Is this why you came and found me and Sam a year ago?" he asked seriously, his eyes filled with nothing but anger and betrayal. Ali couldn't do anything but cry and shake her head in response. "To get revenge for your parent's deaths?"

"No!" she yelled, finally finding her voice as she stood up. "Of course not!"

"Then why?"

"Because I wanted help finding what killed my brother!" she shouted, wiping a hand across her face. "I knew John had tried to get in contact with Tyler. He'd been calling him every day for weeks before he died."

"What?" Dean asked with a furrowed brow. Ali sniffed, trying to compose herself again.

"He kept trying to get in contact, but Tyler didn't want anything to do with him. I knew he was looking for the demon," she admitted. "I thought John might know which one killed Tyler."

"Why was Dad trying to get hold of your brother?" Sam asked. Ali's teary eyes shifted over to where he'd also stood up. His eyes were pained, but he didn't look angry. Just sad.

"I don't know," Ali replied. Dean raised a brow at her. "I think it had something to do with the Colt. Tyler was looking for it. It's all he ever talked about. Your dad wanted it too." The four fell silent once again. Dean's expression held nothing but hurt, as did Ali's. She couldn't breathe. Everything seemed like it was falling apart and she couldn't stop it. It was likely neither of the Winchesters would trust her again.

"I need some air," Dean announced, making his way to the door.

"Dean…" Ali called after him, but he'd already exited the room without looking back. Sam watched the girl wrap her arms around herself, her eyes downcast. He then looked to Bobby know nodded towards the door, indicating that he should go after his brother.

Sam found Dean out in the salvage yard, his hands braced against the hood of an old beaten up truck. He could see the tenseness in his shoulders, his knuckles white as he gripped the rusted metal.

"You alright?" Sam tried as he stood behind his brother several feet away.

"What do you think?" he grumbled, keeping his back turned.

"Look, Dean I get that you're mad at her, but don't make this about Electra," Sam said. "We both know that whatever she did had nothing to do with Ali." Dean sighed, shaking his head as he turned around.

"God sakes, Sam, I'm not mad at Ali," he said in a low voice. Sam frowned in confusion. "I'm mad at Dad!" Sam raised a brow at him, shocked by his confession. "Why'd the bastard have to go and die whilst we're stuck here cleaning up his crap?" The younger Winchester stared incredulously at his brother whilst trying to comprehend why he was acting this way. And then it hit him. Dean wasn't mad at all. Sure, he'd been angry at first, but when that faded away, all that was left was the familiar feeling of responsibility in the pit of his stomach.

"You feel guilty?" Sam asked, his frown softening. He knew he was right. He could see it in Dean's eyes. It was the same look he'd had yesterday. The same look he'd had when their own father had died. It was almost as if the only way he could make sense of a situation was to take full responsibility for it, but something like this was ridiculous. He couldn't carry the weight of his father's guilt as well as his own.

"Don't you?" Dean asked seriously.

"No, Dean," Sam said, trying to make his brother understand. "No. What Dad did was horrible, but he didn't have a choice. Ali knows that."

"Are you kidding?" Dean asked in a raised voice. "You saw the way they were together. She argued with Dad as much as you did. She hated him!"

"No," Sam replied, shaking his head. "Or maybe she did because she felt like she had to, but she doesn't blame him, Dean. I don't think she ever did."

"Of course she does!" the elder Winchester barked. "How couldn't she? He shot both her parents!"

"Because they were infected!" Sam reminded him. "Just like the people in Oregon. If he hadn't, Elliot and Katherine mighta killed both her and Tyler." Dean shook his head.

"No," Dean replied. "Ali said she never saw her father change. He might not have been infected."

"Dad made a call on a hunt, Dean," Sam tried to explain. "He made a call and it was the right one."

"He orphaned two kids!" the elder Winchester snapped back. "How can we face her knowing Dad was the one who killed her parents?" Sam shook his head, realising that he hadn't gotten through to his brother. "How do we make it better?"

"There's nothing to make better, Dean," Sam told him. "We just have to let it go. Like Ali has. And I know it sucks that Dad was the one who pulled the trigger, but maybe he stopped Tyler from having to do it." Dean looked up, catching Sam's serious stare. "Maybe he stopped a kid from baring that guilt. Now are you gonna come back inside?" The two stared at each other for a long time but Sam still didn't see any indication that his brother had changed his opinion on the situation. He shook his head, backing up towards the house. "You know what, don't bother. She'd been through a lot in the past couple of days and if you're gonna act like this, you shouldn't be around her." With that, Sam took off towards the house, leaving Dean in the hopes that his brother might be able to let it go.

Entering the house, Sam went straight for the kitchen where he found Bobby clearing up some dishes. There was no sign of the blonde girl.

"Where's Ali?" he asked, frowning as he stood in the kitchen that felt too empty.

"Sent her to bed," Bobby said, finishing up with the dishes and taking a seat at the table. Sam joined him. "Poor kid's exhausted."

"She okay?" he asked, though he was pretty sure he already knew the answer.

"She was pretty upset," Bobby admitted, sliding a beer across the table towards the younger man. He accepted it gratefully. "How're you doing?" Sam ran a hand through his long hair. Dean had been bugging him to get it cut for as long as he could remember, but he didn't mind it. Ali had told him once that it looked better long.

"Okay," he replied with a sigh. Bobby raised a brow at him. "This is just not how I expected today to go." Bobby nodded, grabbing himself a cold one too. "I get why she didn't tell us but…" He trailed off, leaving the sentence hanging in the heavy air. Bobby released a sigh of his own, leaning his forearms on the table.

"Look, Sam," he began, trying to find the right words to explain. "The fact that John is your father isn't the only reason she didn't tell ya how her parents really died. Only a handful of people know what really happened. We swore we'd keep it that way." Sam frowned.

"Why?"

"Because they're _Venators._ One of the oldest and most well know family of hunters around," Bobby explained. "You think it would be a good thing if it got out that they had to be put down by another hunter?" Sam shook his head.

"Bobby, I'm not following…"

"Elliot and Katie knew a lot of people," he continued. "They helped a lot of people. You think it would've been good for John if everyone knew he was the one who did it? Sure, Tyler didn't get along with your daddy too great but he sure did him a favour by keeping his mouth shut." Sam looked stunned. It wasn't something he'd ever considered would be an issue, but what Bobby had said did make sense.

"I guess I never realised hunter politics were so complicated," he acknowledged.

"Why'd ya think we're all drinkers?" Bobby asked, taking a sip of his beer. Sam released a breath of laughter. It was the only thing he could do. "You wanna know the reason I think Tyler hated your daddy so much?" Sam's look prompted Bobby to continue. "I think it was because he needed someone to blame for his own father's mistakes." The younger Winchester frowned.

"You think it was Elliot's fault?"

"I think if the man had been able to see past his grief, that night would've gone a whole lot differently." Sam contemplated Bobby's words, imagining the scene in his head. "And for the record, what John did wasn't easy. I remember when he dropped the kids off here," he said, his mind drifting back ten years. "He was real messed up." Sam nodded in understanding.

"They were friends, right?"

"Yeah." Bobby nodded. "But there was something else. When I saw him a Katie together it was like…" He trailed off, unable to find the words to describe it. "I think killing her was one of the hardest things he ever did." Sam frowned, unsure if he wanted to know more.

"You think something was going on between them?" Bobby shook his head.

"No, nothing ever would've happened," he said. Sam was thoughtful for a moment.

"You think he loved her?" Bobby sighed, recalling all the times he'd seen the two together. Bobby had only known John after Mary had died so it was rare to see him smile. But when he'd been with Katherine Venator, he could hardly stop.

"I'm not sure," Bobby admitted, realising he'd probably never know. "But I think she reminded him of everything he'd lost."

* * *

A few days passed and whilst Ali tried hard to repair the damage she and Electra had caused to her relationships with both Bobby and the Winchesters, the rift between her and Dean only seemed to widen. In her anger towards the fact that Electra had taken over her body, she'd demanded that Bobby tell her everything that she'd done whilst she hadn't been in control. Although it was hard for her to hear, she was glad when she knew the truth.

It seemed on the surface that Dean had taken Sam's advice and let John's role in Ali's parent's death go, but there was still something off about him. Sam alleged that his brother hadn't, in fact, let it go but was now simply bottling up his feelings to please him. Sam had spent a lot of time with Ali over the days, which the blonde girl suspected was out of pity rather than anything else. Even so, she didn't mind. She liked the company. She'd tried talking to Dean. She'd even tried to get him into a poker game, but Dean had made an excuse every time. Although she hadn't spoken to the elder Winchester much, she could tell he was getting antsy being in the house all day. She suspected it wouldn't be long before another hunt came calling.

It was early afternoon when she bumped into Dean in the hallway. He'd been halfway to the door, a bag slung over his shoulder and a shot gun in his hand.

"Going out?" Ali asked casually.

"Sam found a hunt in Ohio," Dean told her, placing the bag by his feet and turning his head slightly towards her. "Looks like we're gonna be on the road for a few days."

"Cool, I'll get my stuff," she said enthusiastically, turning towards the staircase.

"No," Dean said quickly, causing Ali to turn around. "No, uh, me and Sam have got this one." She stared back at him, suddenly finding it hard to speak. "Look kiddo, don't get me wrong, we like having you around," he said, and although he sounded sincere, Ali thought otherwise. "But me and Sam have some stuff we need to figure out." She didn't blink. She knew if she did the tears would start to form. "Just the two of us." Ali's gaze dropped.

"If this is about John, I-."

"It's not," Dean said quickly. He could hear the hurt in her voice. It only deepened the guilt he already felt. "It's not, I just-I can't let you get hurt again."

"Getting hexed was my fault, Dean," Ali said, trying desperately to change his mind. To get him to understand. "Not yours." She feared it was already too late. "None of this is on you." Dean stared back at her, looking like he was going to say something, but at the last minute, he changed his mind.

"See you around, kiddo," he muttered, his voice quiet as he picked his bag back up.

"Good luck with the case," she murmured. He nodded, sending her a weak smile that didn't even nearly reach his eyes.

He and Sam left shortly after, leaving Ali and Bobby behind them in Sioux Falls. It hadn't been easy, but it was what he'd said he'd do from the beginning. Dean was right. Things couldn't go back to the way they were before. Not after they'd nearly lost Ali to a something as simple as a hex. Sam had also been right. Ali would never give up hunting. But right now, after watching two people she thought of as family drive away, she was devastated.

* * *

 **AN: So Ali's back where she started at Bobby's house :(** **Won't be able to update for a few weeks, sorry!**

 **Would love it if you could check out the poll on my profile page. I'm almost done with my Teen Wolf story and I'm thinking about starting another over the summer!**

 **Hope you liked this chapter, let me know what you thought! Much love x**


	22. Chapter 22 - Solitude

The Singer Salvage yard stood that Thursday morning much like it had for the last fifty years or so: derelict, chaotic, and strangely comforting. If you didn't know your way around the maze of scrap metal and old cars, you could easily get yourself lost, but that wasn't a problem for Allison Venator. She knew that yard like the back of her hand. Better, in fact. She and her older brother had spent hours out there playing amongst the wreckages and looking for new places to hide. Now that he was gone, Ali didn't go out there as much, but when she did, she still found the same refuge. Despite the fact that, even with her small frame, she was far too large to fit into any of her old hiding places she used to go when she was seven, she could still find an old, rusted truck, sit in the passenger seat and close her eyes. The scratchiness of the old leather and musky smell in the air was all she needed to be propelled back to her childhood.

It had been three weeks since Sam and Dean had driven away. _Three weeks._ It wasn't that long when she thought about it, but she was used to spending every waking hour with them. She was used to spending eight hours a day in the back of the Impala. Not that being back in Sioux Falls wasn't great, but it was just so different. The seventeen-year-old found herself not knowing what to do most of the time. Every day she asked Bobby if he'd found a hunt, but every day he said no. Ali suspected on occasion he wasn't telling the truth, but she didn't call him out on it. She knew she'd hurt him by barely being around over the last year, even if he'd never say it. She knew.

She also knew that her constant hovering was putting the older hunter on edge. Since moving in permanently at the age of eleven, she'd always been able to relax when at the house, but now, she was irritable. Antsy. The need to be doing something all the time was only a recent development. Bobby often commented that she was probably the only teenager around that couldn't slob in front of the TV for a whole day. Ali reminded him that she was also probably the only teenager around who hunted ghosts in her spare time.

After a week or so had passed, it became clear to both Ali and Bobby that the Winchesters weren't coming back anytime soon. The hunt that Dean had said they were going on before they left had stretched into two and would likely stretch into a few more. Ali had texted Sam a few times and he occasionally replied. She hadn't tried to contact the elder Winchester. She doubted he would respond if she did. Even so, she still checked in with Bobby every so often to see if there had been any calls, but each time, she was disappointed. The older hunter insisted that Dean just needed time.

 _They have to be back at some point,_ Ali thought, the warm air brushing her face. The truck she was sitting in wasn't exactly comfortable, but at least she wasn't sitting on the ground. Its red paint was sparse, having peeled off many years ago. The wheels were missing, as was the engine. All it was really was a leather covered bench inside a metal shell. The windshield was still in place but the windows had been gone for a long time. Truthfully, Ali knew deep down that she'd screwed up her relationship with the Winchesters – a relationship she'd been working to build for the last year. It hadn't been easy to construct, but all it had taken was a stupid decision and a couple of white lies to tear it down.

The blonde seventeen-year-old sat out in the yard for maybe two hours before wondering back inside the house. It didn't feel like home anymore. She felt like a guest in the house, almost like she shouldn't be there. Bobby was in the study, books and notes strewn over his desk.

"Did you find anything today?" Ali asked pointlessly, already knowing the answer. She leaned over the large desk to pick some papers and Bobby swatted her hand away, shaking his head.

"Nothin' today, kiddo," he sighed without looking up. Ali nodded, turning around and sitting in the edge of the desk, the balls of her feet resting on the floor.

"Do you need any help?" she asked, trying to sound enthusiastic. "I can answer the phones if you want?" Bobby sighed again, but this time the sound was much deeper and weighted. Ali bit her lip as she watched him sit back in his chair, a hand coming up to remove the baseball cap from his head.

"I'm bothering you, aren't I?" Ali observed in a low voice, and although she didn't want to annoy the man, she couldn't help but feel a sense of rejection from him. Bobby shook his head heavily.

"You could never bother me," he replied sincerely. "But you sitting around here all say feeling sorry for yourself is makin' me climb the walls." Ali's eyes filled with regret and the older hunter's expression softened. "You gotta get outta this house, Al. Get some air. Quit watchin' the phone because you know it ain't gonna ring."

"What do you want me to do?" Ali asked desperately, searching the man for answers. "It's not like I got any friend around here." Bobby blinked at her, sighing again and sitting forward in the chair.

"You could go work on your car?" he suggested after a long moment. Ali shrugged. She did love that hunk of junk metal she liked to call a car. Once she'd turned fifteen, she'd begged Bobby for a car of her own. He'd refused, saying he simply didn't have the cash to buy her one, though if she wanted to rebuild one from the scrap yard, he didn't have anything against it. Ali had been ecstatic at the time, though now she'd lost the enthusiasm for it.

"I haven't in over a year," she mumbled back.

"Yeah, I know," Bobby replied. "But that doesn't mean you can't now. I moved her to the garage." Ali looked up, a weak smile tugging at her lips. Bobby nodded towards the door, a silent encouragement for her to go. After a moment, she headed out to the yard.

The last time she'd worked on it, she'd been struggling with getting the engine running. She'd spent hours scavenging parts from the old, broken down vehicles that littered the salvage yard and even worked her ass off at the café in town so she could purchase the parts she couldn't find. With a little help from Bobby, Ali had also managed to hammer out the dents in the bonnet. The car was, however, far from finished. In her mind, Ali imagined how it would look when the 1967 Camaro convertible was finished. Gleaming Nantucket blue paint and all.

Once she'd reached the garage, she yanked open the heavy wooden door, expecting to see the pile of rusted metal she knew so well. What met her eyes was certainly not what she was expecting. The light streaming into the dark garage formed a beam of light which landed on the car made it look more beautiful than Ali could have ever imagined. The curves and contours were perfect in every way and she couldn't help but run a finger along the smooth coat of paint. Ali couldn't speak or make any sound to convey what she was feeling inside of her in that moment. All she could do was stare.

"Not bad, huh?" Ali was brought out of her stunned daze by Bobby's voice behind her. He'd followed her out and was now leaning against the garage door, a content smile on his face as he watched the girl before him. A wide smile grew on her face and she ran towards him, almost knocking him over.

"You finished it?" Ali asked, unable to contain the excitement she felt. "When-? Wh- how did you-?"

"Thought it might be a nice surprise for your birthday," Bobby replied. Ali was about to say that she turned seventeen months ago, but then she remembered that she'd been with Sam and Dean. Not with Bobby. Guilt rose in her stomach, but Bobby shook his head, as if reading her thoughts. "You don't mind, do you?" Ali frowned at him as if he'd just asked the most ludicrous question in the world.

"Of course not," she said with a small laugh as she turned around to stare at the finished car. "I don't know what to say." Ali had always loved cars. It was true that she'd always been a little envious of Dean's Impala, but there was something about the beauty in front of her that she loved so much more. Maybe it was because it was something she and Bobby had worked on together. Maybe it was because the reason she'd chosen that specific car was because Tyler had always said he wanted one, and because of that, it had a special place in her heart.

Bobby bumped her shoulder and held out a set of keys. Ali took them eagerly and leaned into the Camaro through the open window, sliding the key into the ignition and turning. The engine hummed satisfyingly as the starter motor kicked in. It didn't spit and choke like it had a year ago when she'd been trying to fix it. It was as smooth as treacle.

"You wanna take her for a ride?" the older hunter asked as Ali pulled the driver's door open. She chuckled at his question.

"Uh, yeah," she replied, the answer obvious. "You coming?"

"I gotta make a few calls," Bobby replied as he watched the girl climb into the seat, her fingers curling around the steering wheel and resting there for a moment. "Don't be too long."

"I won't," Ali replied without looking up. Her gaze was focused through the wind shield and Bobby guessed that her mind was imagining exactly what it would feel like to be cruising down the highway, roof down with the wind blowing through her hair. He smiled, pulling the garage doors open wider so she could drive out.

* * *

A week or so later, the excitement of the finished Camaro had worn off and Ali was back to pacing. Her mind wouldn't settle and Bobby worried that things would remain the same for a long time. It was nearly nightfall when the older hunter found Ali sitting tensely at the kitchen table, her knee bouncing nervously as she stared at her mobile.

"What if they're in trouble?" Ali asked as she chewed on her finger nails. "I haven't heard from Sam all week. Something might've happened and-."

"I'm sure they're fine," Bobby tried to assure her. "If they're busy on a hunt, he won't have time to reply." Ali wasn't satisfied with that explanation. The Winchesters wanted nothing to do with her anymore. She knew that Dean felt responsible for the hex, and he'd stay away as long as he thought she could be in danger when she was around them.

"All I can think about is that if I'd never set foot in that stupid fortune teller shop, none of this would've happened," Ali mumbled to herself. " _I_ got hexed. That's why they left."

"This isn't your fault, kiddo," Bobby said, taking a step towards her in the hopes that she would find it comforting. He'd always found Allison a complex person to understand, but after living with her for five years, he'd thought he'd figured her out. Now, he wasn't so sure.

"Yeah, everyone keeps saying that," Ali replied, shaking her head as she stood up. "But it is."

"Al…"

"I did this, Bobby." She cut him off, tears stinging her eyes. There was a profound sense of loss in her blue orbs that the older hunter found hard to process. He recognised it, but he hadn't seen it since the months after Tyler died. "I screwed everything up!"

"No, you didn't," Bobby repeated. Ali ran her fingers through her hair as if she was growing frustrated with him.

"Yes, I did!" she yelled. "I'm the one who got hexed. I'm the one who lied." She was pointing to herself now accusingly. "I'm not one who attacked you, Bobby. I'm the one who tried to kill Sam and Dean!"

"That wasn't you," he snapped back furiously, enraged that she could think she was capable of doing such things. He wouldn't allow her to carry that burden. He couldn't. "That was all Electra."

"She was a part of me, Bobby," Ali argued. Electra hadn't just possessed her. She'd _come_ from her. "She was a part of me and now she's gone and she's taken everything with her."

"She wasn't you." Bobby shook his head as he echoed the words he'd told her over and over. "She was nothing like you."

"Then why do I feel like I lost something?!" Ali yelled, unable to contain her anger any more. Bobby stared at her, refusing to accept what she was telling him. "There's something wrong with me," she whispered, a tear slipping down her cheek. "I've felt different ever since it happened."

"There's nothing wrong with you, Allison," Bobby said sombrely. "What you're feeling is natural. Sam and Dean left. That's a big change." Ali shook her head at him.

"No, this isn't about them," she clarified. "I don't feel the same as before." The older hunter placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed, hoping the gesture was somewhat comforting.

"It's gonna take a few weeks, kiddo," he explained. "But you'll get back to normal." She didn't believe him, but she left the argument at that. They were both tired.

Ali had a dream that night. A nightmare. She was falling through darkness, the air lukewarm. She couldn't even feel the rush of wind on her skin as she plummeted further and further down. There was only empty space. She yelled for help - first for Bobby of course. Then for Dean and for Sam. Then for Tyler. There was no reply. Ali yelled for her parents, but no answer came. She wondered if maybe she was in hell, and finally she yelled for John Winchester, the only other person she could think of that might be able to help. She found the realisation that there were so few people left in her life jarring, and she screamed some more. When her throat was raw, all that was left was a deafening silence, and all Ali felt was complete and utter loneliness.

* * *

Days later, things were no better, and Bobby had decided that enough was enough. Ali had sat in her room the majority of the time and had only emerged for a shower or, occasionally, some food. The older hunter feared that if things continued, she could spiral into a depression he wasn't sure she'd be able to climb out of. Allison Venator was a strong and resilient girl, but Bobby had never seen her like _this_.

"Pack your stuff," Bobby announced one day as the blonde girl picked at some questionable looking chicken soup. "You're staying at the roadhouse." Ali dropped her spoon in surprise. It clattered against the china bowl before falling on the wooden table.

"You're kicking me out?" she asked incredulously. Bobby sighed.

"No, Al, I'm not kicking you out," he clarified. "But I've gotta go help out an old friend on a hunt and Ellen's been bugging me about sending you over for the last two weeks."

"Can't I just stay here?" she asked flatly. Ali's sadness and emotional turmoil often presented itself as bluntness and sarcasm on the outside.

"No," Bobby said in a final manor. "You haven't seen the sun in three days and I don't think I should leave you alone." He could practically here her next statement as it shone out of her eyes: _then don't leave_ , but to Bobby's surprise, she nodded.

"Fine," Ali sighed. "I'll get my stuff." She left the rest of the soup, though she'd had barely two mouthfuls. If Bobby was going on a hunt, he'd be gone for at least a few days. She packed enough for five, figuring there'd be somewhere for her to wash her clothes. She tended to wear the same three outfit variations anyway. Any kind of jumper or large t-shirt over a pair of ripped jeans was her usual get-up.

Although the idea of leaving the safety of Bobby's place was daunting, Ali couldn't help but feel a small sense of excitement at the prospect of seeing Ellen Harvelle again. The last time Ali had seen her, she'd promised the woman that she'd keep in touch. So far, she hadn't done a very good job of it. She was equally excited at the opportunity to drive her car again. The blue Camaro did ride spectacularly and she couldn't wait to get on the freeway with the roof open.

Once she was ready, Ali bid goodbye to Bobby and headed for the door. He seemed glad that she was getting out of the house and the blonde girl tried to keep a smile on her face in order to make sure he wouldn't be worried.

"Hey." Ali turned back to the older hunter at the sound of his voice, her brow furrowing at the Colt 38 Super in his outstretched hand. She recognised it as from Bobby's personal collection he didn't get out very often. "Take it," he prompted when she didn't grasp it from his hand immediately.

"You know, most people give their teenage daughters pepper spray," Ali pointed out, eyeing the gun wearily before raising a brow at the man before her. He rolled his eyes.

"Well screw convention," he replied, taking her hand and placing the gun in her palm. It was a nice weapon. The custom grips alone must've cost at least two hundred dollars. Ali remembered Bobby telling her that they'd been hand crafted in German silver. The intricate design of the gold snaking its way across the shiny silver plate was rather beautiful. Ali thought that Bobby would be reluctant to part with it, but he seemed adamant that she should take it. "I have a holster if you want it?" Bobby offered, but Ali shook her head.

"Since when were you okay with me walking around with a gun?" she questioned, her blue eyes flicking up from the weapon to him.

"Since now," Bobby replied gruffly before pulling her to his chest. Ali knew what that meant. He was worried. He'd sleep better if she had a proper weapon. "You be careful, you hear me?" he told her as she wrapped her arms around his waist.

"You too," she mumbled before they pulled apart.

"Always am," Bobby said, causing Ali to chuckle as she rolled her eyes. "Take care, kiddo."

* * *

The roadhouse was bustling when Ali arrived, reminding her of how it used to be when she'd visited growing up. Bobby had dropped her and Tyler off when he had to go on a hunt once, and since then Tyler had made it a regular thing to drive over from Sioux Falls and stay there for a few days. He liked meeting hunters and learning from them. Occasionally he'd be invited on a hunt and Ali would be left on her own with Ellen and her daughter.

The business of the saloon meant that Ali's entrance went seemingly unnoticed by the rest of the occupants. Ali was grateful for that. She headed straight over to the bar and took a seat a few stools down from a man in a dark brown leather jacket. It reminded her of the one Dean wore often and she concluded that perhaps he was a hunter too. Taking a look around the rest of the room, Ali realised that he wasn't the only one. She could pick out at least half a dozen others.

"Didn't expect to see you here anytime soon," a voice said in front of her and Ali looked back around to see a girl in her early twenties leaning against the bar, a cloth scrunched up in her hand. The two locked eyes, the older girl looking the other up and down. "You want a beer?" Ali was surprised at the girl's offer. Jo Harvelle raised a brow when she didn't reply straight away. Ali nodded quickly. Jo reached behind her and pulled a bottle of Founders Curmudgeon from a fridge, opened it on the edge of the bar and slid it over to her.

"Thanks," Ali murmured as she took a long sip. She could feel Jo's eyes on her and she knew questions were coming.

"Winchesters with you?" The seventeen- year-old's eyes flicked up at the inevitable question before settling back down on her drink.

"No," she replied simply. Jo seemed irritated by her lack of elaboration. "Disappointed?" She scoffed loudly and Ali was sure she must've rolled her eyes too. Although she wasn't certain, Ali was pretty sure Jo carried a torch for Dean. It was only the small things that had told her this, but the way she'd been around the older Winchester was similar to how the girl had been around her brother years ago.

"No," Jo replied defensively. Ali arched a brow at her challengingly. "Come on, they must've told you what happened." Ali nodded, taking another sip of her beer. She knew that Sam had attacked her when he'd been possessed by Meg. She also knew that she and Jo Harvelle had something pretty morbid in common.

"Right," Ali said quietly. "I guess you guys fell out."

"We didn't just fall out," Jo said, looking a little like she'd been criticised. She kept her voice low as she spoke. "John Winchester is the reason my father is dead." A flash of sympathy twisted in Ali's gut and she couldn't help but feel sorry for the older girl.

"You blame him?" she questioned.

"Don't you?" Ali was a little taken aback, having been unaware that Jo knew the truth as to how her parents died. She only knew how her father had died because Tyler had told her. Although they were friends, Ali doubted that Tyler ever would've told Jo about John's role in Elliot and Katherine's deaths. They weren't supposed to tell anyone.

"No," Ali said truthfully after a long moment. "I made my peace with John." Jo frowned as she sunk to her elbows on the bar.

"Then why aren't you with Sam and Dean?" she asked, seeming genuinely curious. "Why are you here?"

"Because I think Dean blames him," Ali replied thoughtfully. "And I don't think John ever made peace with himself." The two fell silent as Jo clicked her tongue, unsure of what she should say. She knew that any kind of condolences she could offer would be pointless from personal experience.

"So, I guess you and I are kinda the same then," she settled for. Ali shook her head, her brow furrowing as she took another sip of her drink.

"We're not the same," she replied heavily. "And how'd you know about my parents anyways?" Ali asked, a little annoyed. "It's not exactly something people talk about over a beer."

"Overheard Bobby tell my momma way back when," Jo admitted. "Don't worry, I haven't told anyone." Ali nodded, glad that she seemed to have some understanding of the situation. "Tyler told you about my dad?" Ali nodded. Jo bit her lip. "You ever find out what happened to him?"

"Not yet," she muttered in response, her mood taking a sour turn. She didn't mind Jo asking about her brother, but every time she thought about him, it just seemed to make her angry.

"I don't get it," the older girl said as she leant further across the bar, her elbows propping her up. Ali's eyes flickered up to meet hers, unsure where the conversation was heading, having assumed it was over. She'd never really known how to act around Jo Harvelle. She supposed she'd considered her a friend once, but really Jo had always been far closer to Tyler. "Dean was so adamant that I shouldn't get into the world of hunting if I could help it, but he let you tag along with them for months." Jo paused as she regarded the girl across from her. "Why is that? I mean, I'm older than you. I get that you're a Venator but your last name doesn't make you a good hunter."

"You sound like you're jealous," Ali pointed out, a little amused. The corner of Jo's lips twitched a little into a smile.

"Maybe I am." The younger girl scoffed at that as she slid the empty beer bottle back across the counter. Jo caught it before grabbing another from the fridge and sliding it back to her in one swift motion.

"You shouldn't be," Ali told her, gulping down a few mouthfuls of the cold beverage.

"Why's that?" Jo asked with a raised brow. Ali shot her an incredulous look that said: _are you serious?_ The older girl rolled her eyes. "You've got all the freedom that I want. You get to hunt."

"You don't wanna be like me, Jo," Ali replied. "My whole family's dead. Last month I got hexed and tried to kill the closet thing I have to a father and now I'm drinking beer at a bar because I literally have nowhere else to go."

"I guess you're right," she replied, her fingers drumming on the counter. "Tyler always promised me he'd take me on a hunt one day." Ali watched the older girl as her eyes seemed to grow distant like her mind was wondering back to better years.

"He promised me he'd take me to Disney Land," she shot back flatly. "I'm sorry that you don't like your mom telling you what to do, but at least you have a chance at a normal life if you want it." Ali told her. "At least you have someone that wants that for you."

"And if you had the chance at a normal life, you'd take it?" Jo asked with raised brows. Ali thought for a moment, but there was really no point. There'd never be anything else. Her life had been dictated for her before she was born. She wasn't sure _how_ to want anything else.

"No, I guess I wouldn't," Ali replied. Jo took a step back as she ran the rag through her fingers before throwing it over her shoulder.

"Then you're a hypocrite," she decided, leaning her hands on the edge of the counter. Ali shook her head.

"Look, it doesn't really matter," she said dismissively. "The point is that your mom isn't trying to control you, she just doesn't want you to end up dead." Ali told her. "That's not a bad thing." The two were silent for a long moment as Jo considered her words. There was something infuriating about Allison Venator. Maybe it was because of the fact that she was younger than her, but seemed to know so much more about a world she longed to be a part of. Jo was envious, but at the same time, she couldn't help but admire the girl.

"You sound like Dean," she said finally, an expression tugging at her mouth that was more amused than anything. Ali shrugged.

"The guy knows what he's talking about." Jo gave a nod of agreement before excusing herself to see to another customer. A man had approached the bar and had been trying to get her attention for a few minutes by grumpily tapping his glass on the counter.

Ali slumped down against the bar, her chin resting on her folded arms. Not before long the seat next to her became occupied and the teenager's nostrils filled with the scent of cigars and hard liquor. She turned towards her new neighbour, her eyes falling on a man she recognised as Ash. When he noticed her staring, his eyes squinted together as if to focus them better.

"I know you," he said as he pointed a finger at her, his words slurring a little.

"We met once before," Ali informed him. "You're the genius." A proud smile made its way onto Ash's lips as his eyes seemed to blur a little. Ali wouldn't've been surprised if he'd passed out right then next to her.

"That's right," he replied as he leant over the bar and helped himself to another drink. "And you're the hunter with the famous family." Ali wasn't sure what to say to that. She knew her family was well known in the hunting world, but she'd never considered herself famous in that respect.

"I guess I am," Ali replied, taking sip from her beer. "You seen Ellen around?"

"Supply run," Ash responded as he pointed a thumb over his shoulder. "She'll be back." Ali nodded. "I gotta get back to my game." The teen looked over her shoulder to see a group of guys around the pool table. "Catch you later." He stood and Ali giggled a little as he struggled to walk in a straight line.

"You sure you're okay to play?" she called after him, raising a brow at the intoxicated man. At least he wasn't on the floor.

"The night is still young, Miss Venator," he replied, throwing a wink over his shoulder. Ali laughed under her breath as he stumbled away, a bottle of liquor in his hand.

It was sometime later when Ellen showed up. The older woman seemed elated when she spotted Ali sitting at the bar and greeted her with a big hug. Ali seemed apologetic when asking if it was okay if she stayed at the roadhouse for a few days, but Ellen insisted that it was fine. Even so, Ali was adamant that she'd earn her keep and promised she'd help out with service the next day.

From the moment she saw her, Ellen knew that things were not okay with Allison Venator. She could tell by the way she sat, her eyes downcast on her beer and her shoulders slumped. Ellen didn't have to be a genius to figure out something was up, she just had to be a mother. It was easier for her to tell that something was bothering the seventeen-year old. She'd informed the blonde girl that as soon as the roadhouse was closed for the night, they'd talk.

* * *

Ali hadn't eaten much that day. The realisation only hit her when her third beer that she'd been sipping went straight to her head. She finished it quickly, declining when Jo offered her another. She didn't know what she was doing at the roadhouse. She didn't know what she was doing at all. Things hadn't been perfect with the Winchesters, but they had been better than what she had now.

Nothing.

That was exactly what she had now. Sam and Dean were gone. Tyler was gone. Her parents. She didn't even have John to be mad at anymore. And she was pretty sure she was losing Bobby. That came hand in hand with the way she was losing herself.

Ali was different. Bobby was wrong when he'd said it was going to take some time before she felt back to normal. She'd lost something. Whatever Electra was, she'd taken something with her when she'd been ripped out her body. Ali couldn't put a finger on what it was. All she felt was a profound absence of something deep within her. She felt uncomfortable in her own skin. It was almost as if her body was too big for her. There was a void inside her, one she needed to fill. The alcohol wouldn't suffice. She wasn't sure whether the return of the Winchesters would help either.

She held Tyler's silver knife in her right hand, the tip of the blade pressing into the counter under the weight of her arm. She released the pressure a little, absentmindedly twirling the blade between her fingers, her skin brushing against her brother's initials.

"Put the knife away, honey," a voice said under her breath. Ali looked up to meet the woman's concerned gaze, her brow furrowing. Ellen nodded over her shoulder and the blonde girl followed her line of sight. A man sat further along the bar from her, cradling a whisky in his hand. It was the same one she'd seen when she first came in. Dark brown leather jacket. He looked away when Ali caught his eye, but she knew he'd been watching her. She put the knife away, suddenly feeling self-conscious.

"You can't buy blades like that." Ellen said pointedly, offering her a tight smile. Ali shuddered, remembering how Gordon had recognised the knife when he'd tried to kill Sam. She cast a glance down the bar. The man was nowhere to be seen. "We're closing up soon. Why don't you go grab your stuff?" The seventeen-year-old nodded, hopping off the bar stool and heading out into the night.

Ali walked briskly to her car, the glow of light from the roadhouse growing weaker as she distanced herself from it. The night had drawn in and she was glad she'd listened to Bobby when he'd told her to bring a jacket. She was also glad that Ellen said it was fine for her to stay for a few nights. Ali didn't feel like sleeping her in car or driving through the night to get back to South Dakota. As she walked, she heard a pair of footsteps behind her. The parking lot seemed pretty deserted, but she could still hear the murmur of voices from the saloon. She quickened her pace, finding that the pair behind her quickened too, their footfalls falling into step with hers. Someone was following her.

Ali internally berated herself for leaving the Colt Bobby had given her in the glove compartment. It would've made her feel safer as she made what seemed like an endless trek across the parking lot. Once she'd made it to the Camaro, she opened the door, reaching in to grab her bag from the passenger seat.

"Venator." The voice came from behind her and Ali looked around, startled by the dark figure that was so close to her. She only had a moment to frown before he'd pushed her to the ground and something sharp was pressed against her throat. She didn't scream. The knife made it clear that screaming wasn't a good idea. A second man appeared, grabbing the knife from the other and taking over, using his weight to hold her down.

"You make a sound, you're dead," the second man told her matter of factly. She squirmed under him, trying to shove him off, but it was no use. The pair of them together made it impossible. She just wasn't strong enough.

Ali was afraid, the feeling accentuated when the first man began to roughly peel her jacket away from her shoulders. She squeezed her eyes shut, thinking about the way he'd known her name. She was pretty sure she recognised him too. He'd been sitting at the bar earlier. Dark brown leather jacket. He'd seen Tyler's knife. He knew exactly who she was.

"What do-?"

"Shut up!" the second one hissed, pressing the knife harder against her neck until she was sure he'd drawn blood. Ali's jacket was fully off now, the gravel pressing into her bare arms. The first man pulled at her top and she squeezed her eyes tighter shut. Dread filled her stomach. She wished she'd stayed at Bobby's. She wished Sam and Dean had never left. She wished she hadn't driven them away. Rough hands pressed against her skin, calloused fingers moving over her stomach. She felt bile rise in her throat as she realised there was nothing she could so to stop whatever was happening to her. About to happen. She was powerless. Ali lay frozen as the two men crushed her against the earth.

Her heart was in her ears and she felt her legs tense when the first man's hand wondered to her hips, his palms meeting the fabric of her jeans. For a fleeting moment of terror, Ali thought he was about to undo her zipper. It would be easy for them. It was dark and they were wedged in the narrow gap between two cars. No one could see. But his hands moved further out and she felt fingers slide into her pockets. She frowned.

The first assailant moved his hands down to her legs, his movements methodical. He didn't linger on her thighs like she'd perhaps expected. When he'd arrived at her ankles, the man's hands grasped onto the silver handle that was sticking out of her boot and pulled it out. The blade glinted in the moonlight. He moved to pocket the knife and Ali snapped, her foot coming up to kick him in the face.

She instantly regretted the action when she felt hands back on her, holding her tighter. Squeezing her skin.

"Bitch!" the first man yelled as he held his jaw in one hand.

"Hey!" The shout came from someone new followed by a gun shot. Ali felt the grip release on her shoulders before the knife was removed. Then she was alone, lying on the gravel, utterly shaken and confused. A figure appeared above her and she could see the silhouette of the weapon as he slipped it into the holster at his hip. He stretched a hand out towards her and after a moment, Ali took it, letting him pull her to her feet.

"Are you hurt?" the man asked in a deep voice. Ali wasn't paying much attention to him. Her eyes were darting around the parking lot, searching for the two men who'd jumped her. They were already gone. "Are you hurt?" he pressed again, grabbing her shoulder. Ali flinched away violently.

"No-no I'm fine," she stuttered, running her hands over her arms as if to check if she really was. She looked up, meeting her saviour's eyes for the first time. His face was shadowed by the night but Ali could still make out his features. He was older and unfamiliar. "Thanks." She breathed the word quietly, her chest heaving as adrenaline pumped through her veins. The mysterious man nodded once.

"Did they take anything?" he asked. His tone was straight forward and to the point. He wasn't wasting any time. Ali shook her head, her gaze searching the ground.

"No, I don't think so," she replied, catching sight of her brother's knife on the gravel. She bent down to pick it up, her fingers curling around the intricately engraved handle before she shoved it back in her boot. "Who were they…?" Ali trailed off as she stood up. The man before her had vanished. Across the parking lot she could hear the grumbling of an engine. She peered around the parked cars just in time to see the outline of a motorcycle disappearing into the night. Ali couldn't be sure that it was him on the bike, but she had a feeling.

* * *

The blonde teen didn't realise how much she was shaking until she felt the steady hand of Ellen Harvelle on her shoulder. The woman steered her through the corridor to a plain room made up with fresh sheets.

"I think they were looking for something," Ali said, speaking for the first time in a while. Ellen pushed her down into a sitting position on the edge of the bed and began to wipe a wet cloth over the blood that had dribbled down her neck. The cut wasn't deep, but it was enough to make Ellen worried.

"The knife?" Ali looked up to meet Jo's watchful gaze as she leaned against the door frame. There was concern written in her eyes, but most of all curiosity. Ali shook her head.

"I'm not sure," she replied. The way the two men had taken her down and searched her seemed planned. They knew exactly what they were looking for. But Tyler's knife didn't seem worth all the effort. Its value was sentimental more than anything.

"If they ever set foot in my roadhouse again I'll kill both of 'em," Ellen spat. She seemed worked up by the whole situation, perhaps almost as much as Ali was.

"They'll stay away if they know what good for 'em," Jo said. Ali shot her a grateful look.

"What kinda hunters jump a teenage girl out in the parking lot?" the older woman asked under her breath. "I should call Bobby right away."

"Please don't," Ali practically begged. "He'll just worry. I swear, I'll tell him when I see him." Ellen agreed reluctantly. Footsteps in the corridor had Ali's heart racing again, but she relaxed when she saw it was only Ash looking remarkably soberer than he did when she'd seen him last.

"Leather jacket's a regular," he informed the room. "Name's Boris. No sign of him or his buddy outside." Ash stopped for a moment as his eyes fell of the teenager perched on the edge of the bed. She had her duffle bag beside her, jacket loosely over her shoulders and what looked like a Colt 38 Super on her lap. "You sure there were only two of them?" he asked the girl. Her eyes shifted around the room before landing back on him.

"Yeah. One of them followed me out and they jumped me beside my car," she told him.

"Thought I heard a gunshot," he mused. Ali tensed a little, her eyes falling on the weapon in her lap.

"Yeah, I uh, scared them off I guess," she admitted falsely. She wasn't sure why she didn't want to tell them about the man who'd saved her. Perhaps it was because it would make them more worried. Whoever the mysterious man was, Ali knew he didn't want to give his identity away yet, and since he'd helped her, she would do him a favour by keeping him a secret. Besides, whoever her saviour was, she had a feeling they would meet again.

* * *

 **AN: Hello lovelies! So sorry for being completely absent for so long. Been super busy but I'm back now! Yay! I also finished my Teen Wold fic so my focus is fully on this now.**

 **So Sam and Dean are still gone and it looks like there's a bit of Electra aftermath that Ali's going to have to deal with. Also some other shit with some hunters went down and a new mystery guy. Oooh mysterious.**

 **In other news, I read Twist and Shout over the weekend. If anyone has any tips on how I can SEW MY HEART BACK TOGETHER that would be much appreciated. Feel like I need some mega therapy now, but was still a great read.**

 **Also, check out my poll on my profile if you want and I wrote a little one shot about Dean which you can have a look at if you're in need of some Dean... :)**

 **Thanks for reading. You guys are amazing. Let me know what you thought, much love x**


	23. Chapter 23 - Warning Signs

The bed wasn't her own, and it was lumpy. Ali had resorted to laying a folded double duvet across the single mattress to improve the feeling so she could sleep. Even then, she didn't find it easy to drift off.

The second day at the roadhouse had been fairly nondescript. She helped Jo to clear and wipe down the tables, along with getting customers drinks when they wanted them. The third day passed similarly. All Ali could think about were the hunters who'd jumped her on her first day. Jo was right, they hadn't been back, and neither had her unidentified saviour for that matter. Ali was beginning to wonder if she'd imagined him altogether. It was strange. It'd seemed like he knew her, yet she had no idea who he was.

She rolled over in bed. The small room was directly adjacent to Ash's and he'd been snoring loudly for the last half an hour or so. Not ideal. She wouldn't complain about it though. He and Ellen had been nothing but nice to her and, much to Ali's relief, they hadn't brought up the incident of the first night since it happened. Ali thought it a little odd considering how angry Ellen had been about it.

 _"You keep that knife hidden, you hear me?"_ she'd told Ali sternly, before turning to address Ash and Jo. _"And if anyone so much as breathes the name Venator in this roadhouse, I'll ring all ya necks."_

So since then, Ali had kept the knife firmly in her boot and no one had mentioned her last name. Ash refrained from calling her Miss Venator and Jo kept herself from asking any more questions about her brother or family.

It was strange. Ali had never felt threatened because of who she was. If anything, she'd always thought her family name would protect her. Now, she saw things in a completely different light. She'd spent five years with Bobby, living under the radar after her brother died. People had assumed that maybe she'd died too, not to mention the fact that nobody knew what really happened to her parents. All of a sudden, it was like she'd stepped back into the world when she'd met Sam and Dean. She was back on the map, and people had questions. Others, it seemed, had even greater agendas.

Ali's conversation with Ellen had continued on the first night. The older woman had demanded that Ali tell her everything after Jo and Ash had left the room, and she did. She told her what Meg had said about her brother, of meeting Gordon, of the hex given by a remaining witch of a coven her family had helped destroy, of Sam and Dean finding out about John, and finally retelling the details from her attack that had left her more shaken than she cared to admit. By the end, her breathing was erratic and she couldn't stop the tears that had formed in her eyes from falling.

 _"Honey, I need you to understand something,"_ Ellen had said seriously as she crouched in front of the teenager, her hands on the girl's knees as she looked up into her crystal blue irises. _"Hunters and monsters alike, there's never gonna be a time when somebody ain't looking for you."_ Ellen's voice had been dead serious, and her eyes had held a certain intensity which frightened the blonde girl. _"Your family is more than just well known, Allison. There ain't a soul in the supernatural world that hasn't heard the name Venator."_

 _"What am I supposed to do?"_ Ali had asked as she sniffed, trying to catch her breath. She was afraid. So afraid. Not just of the people who might be after her, but of what Ellen would say next.

 _"You can stay here for a few days, and then you go back to Bobby's."_ Ali frowned as she wiped her eyes.

 _"And then what?"_ Ellen had sighed, feeling like the girl before her was a wounded sparrow that she couldn't yet set free. She didn't want to tell this to the girl, but she had to. Deep down, she knew it was the only way to keep her safe.

 _"And then you stay there."_ Ali blinked back at the older woman.

 _"But Bobby's never-."_

 _"Bobby doesn't hear what I hear,"_ Ellen had told her. _"Hunters pass through this place pretty regularly, and they talk…"_

The rest of the conversation had moved in a similar direction and ever since, a small ember of fear had been instilled inside Allison Venator by Ellen's warning. She didn't want to go back to staying at the salvage yard twenty-four-seven, but deep down, she knew that Ellen was right. There were people after her. Hunters. There was something she had that they wanted, but she just didn't know what. Maybe it was better if she went back to people thinking she was dead. Maybe she was better off being invisible.

* * *

Ali left the roadhouse early in the morning a day later. Bobby seemed happy but most of all relieved to see her when she finally made it back to Sioux Falls. The drive was long and Ali felt like curling up in her bed once again. She'd considered not telling him about the hunters that had jumped her outside the roadhouse, but the angry hand print bruise that wrapped around both her wrists proved difficult to explain away. Ali ended up telling him everything that had happened, and to say that the older hunter was worried would be a great understatement.

It was a week before Bobby stopped digging for details regarding the two hunters who'd jumped her. Ali was getting tired of all the questioning, but she knew he'd taken Ellen's warning seriously, and she wondered whether she should too.

The Winchesters still played on Ali's mind. Sam still hadn't returned any of her resent messages and she wasn't sure whether she should be annoyed or concerned about his lack of contact. In her mind, Ali knew they were probably fine. But what if they weren't? What if the yellow-eyed demon had caught up with them?

"Haven't heard a thing in weeks," Bobby replied gruffly when Ali asked if he'd heard from them one day. He'd been reading through a thick and old looking book on Greek deities before Ali disturbed him, a glass of whisky in his hand. The bottle stood on the desk close by. "Look, Al, before you left I hadn't heard from them in years. They're good at their job. Don't worry your mind with it."

Ali wasn't satisfied with Bobby's explanation, and the elder hunter knew it. He sighed deeply as he set his glass down on the desk.

"You wanna know who did call while you were out earlier?" he asked in a lighter tone. Ali folded her arms as she leaned against the door frame, a brow arched in the older hunter's direction. "Tim."

"Tim?" Ali asked as she frowned.

"Yeah, you know? Leslie's boy?" For a moment, Ali had no idea who Bobby was talking about, but after her brain kicked into gear, she suddenly remembered.

"Oh," she replied quietly. "Yeah, Tim." She cleared her throat, straightening up a little as she pictured the mousy-haired boy in grey cotton slacks. "What'd he want?"

"General small talk about nothin' important," Bobby replied, which generally meant that Tim had filled him in on every detail of his life, likely ending in a complaint about whatever job he found himself in now. It was unlikely that Bobby had retained any of it. "He asked about you."

Ali shrugged.

"So?"

"Sounds like he was pretty keen to see ya," Bobby said with a pointed look. Ali rolled her eyes. She'd known Tim for a while, but she wouldn't exactly consider him a friend, and certainly nothing more. He was one of those people that was easy to forget about, mostly because he was entirely ordinary, and not much about Ali's life wasn't remotely ordinary. "You know, he stopped by a few times last year. Asked after you."

"Bobby…"

"I'm just saying, it might not be a bad idea to spend some time with him once in a while," he defended. "He's not a bad kid, Al. It's not a crime to have some friends."

"He's not a hunter, Bobby," Ali argued. It was true that Tim was a nice guy, but he could be so naïve that in practice, Ali found it infuriating to be around him. The kid lived with his mother in Sioux Falls, but the only reason Ali and he had even met was because of Tyler. Because of that, Tim seemed to feel like he and Ali had something in common. In his words, they'd _"both lost someone close to them."_ In fact, this just made Ali feel even more exasperated. Sure, Tim had lost a friend when Tyler died, but that didn't mean he knew what she'd gone through. He'd never understand her life, and although it wasn't his fault, that was the way it was. "I can't be myself around him."

"Give the boy a chance, Allison," Bobby pressed. "Maybe having someone who doesn't know about all this would be good for you?"

"He doesn't know anything," Ali whined. Bobby shot her an unimpressed look. "One time, he asked me if Mossberg and Sons were a boy band."

"So, the kid knows nothing about firearms," the older hunter observed. "Didn't realised that was one of the criteria to be part of your life." Ali glared back at him and Bobby released an exasperated breath. "He used to be around here all the time."

"I know," she replied quietly. "And all he did was talk about Tyler." Bobby's expression grew grave as Ali's eyes brimmed with tears. The pain of losing her brother was still very much a part of her. She was sure it always would be. "I can't-."

"Okay," Bobby replied softly, standing up and squeezing her tense shoulders. She closed her eyes and leaned into him a little, the small gesture giving her all the comfort she needed. "Okay." He pulled away and left the room, calling back at the girl regarding whether she wanted any lunch. Bobby was good in that way. He knew when to press, and he knew when to leave her be.

* * *

If there was one thing that Bobby Singer hated, it was a case left unfinished. He liked things to be complete. Signed, sealed and delivered. That was probably why he found the fact that he didn't know what'd happened to Tyler Venator difficult to digest. The kid had been like a son to him before he had mysteriously vanished from a motel room, leaving his younger sister in his care. Bobby probably wanted to get the thing that killed him almost as much as Allison did, but he tried not to let it get to him. He needed to remain stable for Ali's sake. Her grief had crushed her, and not being able to find the answers she was looking for had scarred her further. He couldn't be a solid foundation for her to lean on if he let it break him apart too.

At this time, however, it wasn't the unsolved disappearance of Tyler Venator that was bothering him. It was something much less complex, but equally infuriating.

Bobby had received a call from an old friend of his named Irv Franklin, stating that he'd been in the middle of a case when he'd broken his leg falling down a flight of stairs. The acute fibula fracture had been unrelated to the monster he was hunting, but all the same, the case was left unfinished. Bobby found this news distressing, not because he was worried for his hospitalised friend, but because he knew he now had some cleaning up to do.

Irv had assured him he'd already done all the hard work. It was a textbook case of a vengeful spirit and he'd already located the burial site of the man who'd been murdered in the seventies and not found peace. All Bobby needed to do was to drive down to the Mount Auburn Cemetery in Nebraska, do some grave excavation and salt and burn the bones. It seemed easy enough, but he wasn't going without protection.

The older hunter sat in his study as he filled shotgun shells with salt. He'd also grabbed a fire iron from the stand beside the fire place. The thing felt heavy in his hands, the memories of what it'd been used for still fresh in his mind. Finishing off the case shouldn't take him long. He hoped to be back before the morning.

"Where're you going?" Bobby jumped at the sound of Ali's voice behind him. He sighed, turning around and catching her eye for a second before looking back to his weapon.

"Douglass County," he replied, loading his shotgun and zipping it up inside a bag. He turned to face her again to see that she'd raised a questioning brow at him, though her eyes seemed distant. Distracted. "Salt and burn. Shouldn't take too long." Ali nodded, looking as if she was going to turn around and go back upstairs. To Bobby's surprise, she didn't.

"You need any help?" she offered, her eyes lighting up for a second.

"It's easy enough for one," he replied, hesitant to invite her along. "You don't have to-."

"I want to," Ali said quickly. Bobby noticed that her eyes were no longer bright. They were pleading, begging him to let her come. She needed this. Perhaps he did too.

"Alright," he agreed, causing a small smile to pull at the blonde girl's lips. "Alright." He repeated the word again before handing her the shotgun he'd already loaded. He didn't need to ask if she could handle the weapon. He knew from experience that she could. "How rusty are ya?"

"I'm not," she replied, somewhat defensively. Ali may not have hunted in a while, but she'd been practising in the yard whenever she could to maintain her high standard of accuracy and precision. Bobby considered her for a moment, chuckling a little to himself at how serious she had become in recent times.

"Okay," Bobby said, nodding his head at her. "Why don't you get your stuff. I wanna get this over with." Ali agreed and quickly darted upstairs. The older hunter watched her go. It seemed like only yesterday that she was three years old, her small frame struggling to climb the steep staircase after her brother. In the same way, those times seemed infinitely distant. So much had changed since then, both in his life and hers.

* * *

The shovel embedded itself in the dirt, cutting through the layers of mud and wet clay. Bobby pulled back, tipping the earth into the pile that had accumulated beside the headstone. It was dark in the cemetery, but the crescent moon was low in the sky and the light cut through the trees casting long shadows on the grass.

He paused, glancing up at the seventeen-year-old above him. Her eyes were pearly in the moonlight as they scanned the fence line and her fingers were curled tightly around the loaded shotgun.

"You wanna switch?" Bobby asked, staking the shovel into the ground and climbing out of the hole he'd been digging. His question wasn't really a request. The digging was almost finished but Bobby was tired. He wasn't as young as he used to be. It was his turn to keep watch.

Ali jumped a little when Bobby clapped her on the shoulder, her mind too distracted by the threat of a vengeful spirit to notice him stop digging. Bobby thought that maybe the hunt they were on wasn't the only thing on her mind.

He gently pulled the shotgun from her hands and gestured to the shovel. She nodded quickly, agilely jumping down into the grave to continue the work. Bobby's finger was braced on the trigger as he scanned the yard, his eyes casting over every gravestone and dark shadow. He glanced at the blonde girl as she made quick word of the shovelling. She'd been unusually quiet since the boys left, seemingly having retreated inside of herself to the point where it concerned him. Maybe she had lost something when Electra was ripped out of her. Maybe she'd taken something…

"Have they called yet?" She didn't stop digging or turn around as she spoke. Bobby sighed.

"Actually, yeah," he admitted. That got her to stop.

"What?"

"Sam called yesterday," he told her. "Wasn't a long chat, but he and Dean are fine." Ali resumed her digging, but Bobby could practically hear the cogs turning in her brain. The conversation was far from over.

"Did he ask about me?" she asked tentatively. Her back was to him as she dug so Bobby couldn't read her expression.

"Uh, no," he replied. "We didn't talk for long. He was in a rush."

"Oh," Ali muttered, her tone deflated. The shovel made a dull thud as it hit something hard and Ali began to clear the dirt from around the coffin's edge. "I see." She jammed the edge of the shovel under the lid of the casket, her grip so tight on the handle that her knuckles were white.

"He just wanted information for a hunt," Bobby explained. Ali used the shovel to prise up the lid of the wooden box, revealing the skeleton inside.

"You don't have to explain," she insisted, shaking her head and climbing out of the grave. "He didn't wanna talk to me, I get it." Bobby huffed.

"That's not what I said, Allison," he protested before catching sight of a morbid figured materialising before his very eyes. Ali's eyes were down cast as she fumed, her mind distracted from the task.

"But that's what you-."

"Move!" Ali gasped at the sound of the older hunter's yell. She crouched down, rolling over the grass as Bobby fired at the spirit. The salt caused it to disperse into the air, ghostly white wisps erupting in the darkness. The blonde girl pushed herself to her feet as she ran to the car, pulling the bottle of gasoline from the trunk.

Suddenly, the spirit was back in front of her and a freezing cold hand wrapped around her neck, lifting her off the ground. She dropped the gasoline, her fingers pulling at the ones that were pressing her windpipe closed. There was a loud pop and Ali fell to the ground, the ghost gone once again. She gasped for air, trying to catch her breath as she crawled along the damp grass towards the gasoline.

"Al!"

"I'm okay!" Ali yelled back, grabbing the bottle of gasoline and the fire iron from the trunk. She turned, her mud-covered legs propelling her towards the grave where she handed the bottle to Bobby and readied herself for another attack. "Where are you?" she whispered under her breath, the fire iron poised in the air with both hands as if it were a baseball bat.

The ghost materialised in front of her and she swung, the iron cutting through the apparition as if it were a cloud of smoke. Throwing the iron to the ground, she grabbed the shotgun, knowing it would give her more distance.

"Come on!" she yelled, as if inviting the monster to come and get her. To try. It appeared by the car, moving slowly at first. It appeared legless as it floated just above the ground, its arms outstretched and yellow teeth bared like a rabid dog. It charged, and Ali aimed the weapon.

She breathed.

One. Two. Three.

It was close, but not close enough. Ali smirked as she pulled back, her finger on the trigger. She'd forgotten the thrill of the hunt; the feeling of adrenaline pumping through her veins. She waited until the spirit was just a foot away before she fires, the salt bullet screeching as it hit it right between the eyes.

"You done?" Ali turned to face Bobby who was standing beside the grave, his brow arched at her. He resisted the urge to call her a show-off, but the sentiment came across in his expression. Ali gave a short snort of laughter before burying her hand in her pocket and fishing out a lighter. She threw it to the older hunter who quickly lit it and dropped it onto the salted corpse. It ignited instantly and they stood in silence as they watched it burn, the flames dancing in the darkness.

* * *

Ali lay on her bed, her feet kicked up against the headboard as she bounced a baseball against the wall. It had started raining three days ago and the sky still remained darkened by the heavy clouds. The Camaro had been confined to the garage and, although a little rain wouldn't do it any harm, Bobby had warned her that the roads would be slick and dangerous. It was he, more than her, who was concerned for her safety.

The buzzing of her mobile beside her halted her repetitive movements, the screen lighting up with the younger Winchester's name. Ali grabbed it immediately, her finger poised to accept the call when she stopped herself. _Why was he calling?_ Did he suddenly have the time in between hunts to remember to pick up the phone? It was likely he was just calling because he needed something, and not because he cared about keeping in touch. After all, he hadn't seemed bothered about catching up a week ago. If he didn't have the time to keep in touch with her, then she'd show him the same curtesy.

Ali put the phone down on her bedside table and let it ring and ring until it finally went silent. Sam didn't leave a voicemail. Something within the blonde girl was deeply hurt by it, but then she remembered that she didn't care. The Winchester's weren't coming back. They didn't want anything to do with her anymore. She needed to move on.

"Al?" Bobby's voice echoed up the stairs and Ali pocketed her phone and made her way to him. She could feel it buzzing continuously against the fabric of her jeans but she stubbornly continued to ignore it.

"Everything okay?" she asked the older hunter when she'd reached the hall. Bobby had his jacket pulled around him and seemed to be in a hurry.

"I've gotta head out for a bit," he explained. "Can you watch the phones?"

"Sure," Ali replied, bidding him goodbye and sauntering into the study. She now had five missed calls from Sam Winchester and was starting to worry. _What if something had happened?_ But she couldn't let herself think that way. She had to be strong. Stubborn and strong. Ali was mad at him, and he needed to get the message.

She switched off her phone and proceeded to flick through some of the files and papers that littered Bobby's desk. There was research everywhere, along with phone numbers and notes scribbled on newspaper clippings and backs of envelopes. Bobby was a great hunter, but he wasn't exactly the most organised person she'd ever met.

A ringing cut through the air and Ali scanned the labels on the numerous phones as she grabbed the one that was ringing.

"Monroe, F.B.I," she said, trying her best to sound official.

"Ali?" Sam's voice down the line made her roll her eyes and she sink back into Bobby's desk chair. The fabric was frayed and smelt like bourbon.

"You can't use this number to call me," Ali said bitterly. She could almost hear the nerves in Sam's breathing.

"I know, but… you wouldn't answer your phone." She glared at the air, hoping the younger Winchester's psychic abilities would be able to pick up on her hostility.

"What do you want?" Ali asked, keeping her voice even.

"I just wanna talk," he assured her, but she seriously doubted that. He wouldn't just call for a chat. _Would he?_

"What makes you think that I-."

"I'm sorry," he apologised, startling Ali a little. "I'm sorry I haven't been getting back to you. Things have been pretty crazy on this end. Dean and I are kinda… fugitives." Ali kept silent, a sulky expression on her face. She wanted to be mad at him, but it sounded like he was being truthful.

"An occasional phone call to say you're still alive would've been nice," she said grumpily, her elbows resting on the desk as she sat forward in the chair.

"I know," Sam replied. "How's Bobby?"

"He's alright, I guess," she replied. "How's Dean?" She bit her lip as she waited for the reply. She hadn't spoken to the elder Winchester in months. It somehow felt like longer.

"Hanging in there," Sam replied with a small chuckle. There was an intake of breath and Ali was sure that Sam was about to say something else. Perhaps elaborate on how Dean was really doing. He changed his mind at the last minute. "I gotta go. Dean's about to leave without me." Ali sighed, a sad smile pulling at her lips.

"You aren't gonna come back, are you?" she asked, somewhat daringly. The line fell silent, but there was no click, telling her that Sam was still there. The quiet stretched agonisingly slowly before he spoke again.

"Say hi to Bobby for me?" Something hurt inside her at his words, but not in a way she'd expected. She wasn't surprised at Sam's lack of reply. Whether it was what had happened with Electra or what had happened to her parents, something was still bothering Dean. Ali wasn't sure if it would ever go away.

* * *

For the first time in a while, Ali was buzzing. She was actually excited as the Camaro sped down the highway, and that could only mean one thing: she was going on a hunt. When she'd come across the online news report about multiple disappearances in Illinois, she couldn't stop herself from jumping in her car and making the trip across from Sioux falls. There was nothing Bobby could do about it either. He wasn't happy, to say the least, but she'd insisted that she could handle the situation herself.

The news of all the disappearances over the last month had sent alarm bells ringing in Ali's head. But what was it? A ghost? A demon? She felt silly walking in completely blind, but she needed to hunt. The urge to do so ran through her veins and was carved into her bones. She was already scarred with it.

Allison Venator was a hunter.

The trip to Joliet was long, but Ali couldn't've cared less. Even so, she'd had to crank the radio volume up so that she didn't have to spend hours in silence by herself. The music drowned out the noise of her own thoughts that were swirling around her head.

She was being completely reckless, especially after Ellen's warning to stay at Bobby's and not put herself in danger. But she was done sitting around. She refused to do it anymore.

Ali frowned as she pulled up outside old factory building. At first, she thought she'd imagined it, but there was no denying the fact that the Impala was sitting right in front of her. She knew the monster she was hunting had to be somewhere along the road. Driving for hours up and down the strip of old warehouses had made her doubt herself, but seeing the sleek black car had confirmed her suspicions. Sam and Dean were inside. She had the right place.

The blonde girl pulled up alongside the car she hadn't seen in months and exited her Camaro. At first, she wondered whether she should just leave it to the Winchesters considering she had next to no idea what she was about to walk into, but the need to hunt was too strong. The need to be useful overpowered her and she marched forward, the Colt Bobby had given her braced tightly in her hands.

The old factory building was dark and somehow cold. Goosebumps pricked their way up Ali's bare arms as she stepped quietly on the concrete and she wished he hadn't left her jacket in the car . She listened carefully for any sound of movement from further into the room. It was silent. Ali began to doubt herself once more until she heard the pattering of another set of footsteps, along with a stomach-curling exhale of air.

She turned. The darkness before her gave no hint of an occupant.

"Ali?" She whirled around, coming face to face with the younger Winchester.

"Sam," she breathed, holding a hand to her chest. His hair was longer than she remembered and she glanced up at him. For a moment, he looked relieved too before his features turned to a frown.

"What the hell are you doing here?" he asked in a hiss, keeping his voice low.

"What does it look like?" Ali asked, waving her Colt at him.

"You're hunting?" he asked incredulously. "Where's Bobby?" Ali bit her lip awkwardly as she broke eye contact with him. "You're here my yourself?"

"I know, I know," she said, rolling her eyes. "I get it. I'm being reckless."

"Yeah," Sam agreed. "And incredibly stupid."

"Save the lecture, okay?" Ali said, shaking her head at him. She didn't need Sam Winchester to tell her off. "Where's Dean?"

"He got taken by the Djinn," Sam explained.

"A genie?" Ali asked disbelievingly. The younger Winchester nodded, an expression on his face that said he couldn't believe she'd turned up here by herself without having a clue what she was up against. There was a crash from further inside the warehouse and Sam motioned for them to be quiet as he pulled out a silver knife. Ali thought it likely that he'd already dipped it in lamb's blood, ready for the kill.

He gestured ahead of him and Ali followed, keeping her footfalls quiet as they tiptoed around. She braced the Colt in front of her and, although she knew it wouldn't kill the Djinn, she hoped it might slow it down somewhat.

They made it to an open space and Sam suddenly ran ahead. Ali hung back, watching as the younger Winchester ran up to a figure and begin to try and shake it away. Ali squinted in the suddenly brighter light. His bruised and pale skin meant that she barely recognised him, but as she got closer, there was no doubt in her mind. It was Dean.

Ali sighed with relief when his eyes flickered open. She glanced around the room as the brothers muttered to each other, catching sight of another girl who looked even worse than Dean. She was attached to some kind of tube and her hands were tied above her head. Ali made towards her, stopping when she heard Dean yell.

The Djinn seemed to come out of nowhere as it threw Sam to the ground. Ali ran over as he and the monster fought on the ground.

"Hey!" she yelled, catching the Djinn's attention and it headed for her instead. Its skin was blue and tattooed with a strange pattern that was oddly beautiful. Ali aimed her weapon and fired, hitting the Djinn in the chest multiple times. It stepped back with each blow but other than that, it seemed unfazed. Out of the corner of her eye, Ali could see Sam helping Dean get free.

The Djinn came closer and closer and Ali continued to fire. Soon she was out of bullets and realised she had no other weapon.

"Crap," she muttered, throwing the useless gun to the ground. The Djinn was backing her into a corner.

All off a sudden, something collided with it and it fell to the ground, Sam landing on top of it. They battled for a moment, but the Djinn was far stronger and quickly regained the upper hand. Ali spotted Sam's silver knife and the floor and went to grab it, sliding it across the floor to Dean who was closer to the monster. Just before the Djinn was about to cast its spell over Sam, Dean jammed the knife into its back and twisted, killing it permanently.

Sam breathed heavily on the floor as he tried to catch his breath and Dean offered him a hand up. Ali caught the elder Winchester's eye for a brief moment before he quickly looked away. He'd seemed surprised to see him when she'd first turned up with Sam, but now it seemed like he was just unsure and confused. The way he looked at her was almost like he was seeing a ghost.

Dean made his way over to the girl who was still tied up. He looked at her sadly as he pressed two fingers to her neck, checking for a pulse. His eyes lit up suddenly and he pulled the tube from her neck.

"She's still alive," he said disbelievingly, handing the silver knife to Sam who cut the rope binding her hands. "I got you," Dean told her as she collapsed into his arms, her body completely exhausted and frail. "We're gonna get you out of here, okay?"

"We need to get her to a hospital," Sam said as Dean pulled the girl up with him. "Ali, you sticking around?"

"I can," she said quietly, unsure of what she should do next. The evening had taken an unexpected turn. Sam nodded, picking her Colt from the floor and handing it back to her. "Where're you guys staying?" Ali asked, edging towards the exit as Dean manoeuvred the unconscious girl in his arms. She kept her eyes fixed on him, his skin ashen and bruised. Sam cleared his throat, drawing her attention away from the elder Winchester as the younger sent her a reassuring smile as if to say _he'll be okay._

"The Zeppelin," he replied. "You know it?" Ali recalled passing a sign for the motel several hours ago.

"Yeah," she replied, her voice sounding distant. "I'll meet you there."

* * *

Over the past couple of years, Ali had spent a large proportion of her time waiting for the Winchesters. She'd waited for them on numerous hunts when she'd first known them in the days when Dean wouldn't let her anywhere near a case. But that night as she waited in their motel room for them to get back from the hospital, it felt like an eternity.

Ali was anxious when the door handle finally turned, and even more anxious when Dean was the only one to enter. He sensed her concern straight away.

"Sam's getting you a room," he told her. She nodded back, remaining perched on the edge of the bed. "Is that your Camaro outside?" Ali was a little taken about by the question and she smiled a little.

"Yeah," she replied. "Me and Bobby built her." He nodded back, but Ali didn't miss the ghost of a smirk that appeared at him lips. He was impressed. For a moment, Ali felt like things were back to normal, but when Dean let the door swing shut and they were thrown back into a defining silence, she realised she was wrong.

"Feeling okay?" she asked.

"Better, thanks," Dean replied. Ali bit her lip.

"So, what was it like?" she asked tentatively, her voice quiet. Dean considered her a moment with the same uneasy look he had before, and then his eyes went wistful as he remembered.

"It was-," he paused, his gaze focusing on the carpet tiles on the floor. He examined a dark stain on the rough fabric, scrutinising it with his green eyes. "It was different. Mom was there, Sammy was engaged…"

"Sounds pretty perfect," Ali mused, her heart aching as she imagined what it would've been like if she'd been in Dean's place at the hands of the Djinn. Tyler's face swam though her mind, along with her mother's flowing hair and her father's eyes/ She remembered the way they creased at the edges when he laughed. Ali struggled to remember what it sounded like now.

"It wasn't," Dean replied, shaking his head slightly. He wondered what could've caused the stain. Maybe coffee? "It was just a wish. My mom never died and Dad never brought us up as hunters." Ali considered his words.

"I guess we never met, then?" she worked out. If Sam and Dean weren't hunters, they never would've met Bobby. They never would've met her.

"No, we never met," he said quietly. "I asked Sam about you and he had no idea what I was talking about." He laughed a little, more at the absurdity of the situation than anything. "Part of me wanted to stay." Dean's eyes were on the ground as if he were ashamed of it.

"Why didn't you?" Ali asked softly. He scoffed.

"Sammy and I didn't get along. All the people we saved were dead and you…" Dean looked up and they locked eyes. He didn't finish his sentence and although Ali wanted to know how it would've ended, she didn't press him.

 _And you weren't there._ That's what Dean had wanted to say, but he couldn't. Ali wasn't in his dream world, but the reason wasn't what she thought. In Dean's seemingly perfect world, Ali wasn't still living with Bobby in Sioux Falls without the interference of the Winchesters.

After Sam had told him he didn't have a clue who Allison Venator was, Dean had looked her up, fearing the worst. He'd found the news article: July 30th 1996, family of four were found dead in their home just outside of Denver, Colorado. In the world Dean had seen, Ali was dead.

And then Dean had worked it out. If his father never became a hunter, he never would've known Elliot and Katherine Venator. He never would've been there on that fateful night to put them down. He never would've saved Ali and her brother from them.

The realisation made him feel guilty. Dean wanted to tell her, but he wasn't sure how she would react. All he knew was that he had been wrong, and his father had done the right thing.

"… well I guess it doesn't matter," Dean continued. "It wasn't real anyways."

Sam pushed the door open, dangling a set of keys in Ali's direction. She smiled gratefully at him as he gestured for her to follow him to her room.

"You driving back to Sioux Falls tomorrow?" Dean asked just before she left the room. Ali nodded over her shoulder.

"Yeah, I was gonna leave first thing," she replied.

"Okay, well uh, why don't you stick around for a bit?" Ali paused, looking back at him and wondering what had happened to cause him to be so different to how he'd been when she'd last seen him. "I want to check out your ride." She nodded back at him, her eyes brightening a little.

"Okay," she replied before heading out.

"Night Ali," Dean called. Ali smiled to herself as she exited the room.

"Night Dean."

* * *

 **So its been a while... sorry. For some reason, this chapter took me forever to do. I rewrote it like 5 times so I hope you liked it!**

 **Check out the couple of spn oneshots I wrote if you want some more supernatural stuff!**

 **Let me know what you thought, much love x**


	24. Chapter 24 - All Hell Breaks Loose

**AN: Italics = flashbacks, as always.**

 **Enjoy x**

* * *

The day had been hectic. Bobby, Dean and Ali had spent most of it on the road looking for wherever Sam might be. They all knew it had something to do with the yellow-eyed demon, and that made Ali's skin crawl. The last time they'd encountered it, John had ended up dead.

Through all the chaos, Ali had barely managed to process what was happening. The roadhouse was gone. Ash was dead. Ellen was probably dead. She hadn't had time to grieve. Everything was moving so fast. That was, until later that night.

As Ali stood in the darkness and watched the scene unfold before her, everything slowed to a snail's pace. The seconds and minutes stretched and warped into long, fine needles, augmenting before her eyes. It all seemed to happen in slow motion.

Sam limped out of the darkness, obviously in pain, but a smile graced his lips when he set is eyes on his brother. Dean stepped forward, but Ali remained behind him next to Bobby. They'd all been worried about Sam when he'd disappeared, but now that they'd found him, this was _their_ moment. Sam and Dean. It was their moment to reunite. Ali couldn't've been jealous even if she wanted to be. All she felt was an overwhelming happiness that Sam was okay and that today, she hadn't lost anyone else she loved.

And then it all went to shit. The different feelings that coursed through Ali's veins made it almost impossible to breathe. The sudden shift from relief to tragedy was gut wrenching, and the seventeen-year old wasn't sure what to do with herself.

Ali didn't even notice the second man sprint out behind Sam. All she heard was Dean's screams as something was embedded in his brother's back, and Sam fell to his knees. Then she was alone. The two men beside her were sprinting forward, one towards his brother, and the other towards the attacker. The blonde girl wanted to help, but she couldn't move. Her feet were glued to the ground and she grabbed her chest, her panic turning into physical pain. She couldn't breathe. She couldn't move. All she could do was watch, and the scene before her was agonising.

 _"_ _Sammy?"_ Ali could hear Dean's yells, but they sounded far away. Her vision blurred as she held her chest, trying to keep herself upright.

 _"_ _Tyler?" The lights flickered in the motel room as Ali watched her brother line the door with salt. It felt like an earthquake was happening, but the eleven-year-old knew that it was no earthquake. "Tyler, what's happening? What do they want?"_

 _"_ _I don't know," he replied, his hands shaking as he held the bag of salt. He was scared. Ali couldn't remember the last time she'd seen him like this. Tyler was supposed to be fearless. Her big brother wasn't afraid of anything. Suddenly, there was a bang at the door, the noise loud enough to cause both of the siblings to jump. Tyler stepped away, pushing his little sister behind him. "Line the bathroom with salt and lock the door," he instructed her calmly._

 _"_ _What about…?"_

 _"_ _Do it now!" His tone was deadly serious and Ali didn't hesitate as she grabbed the bag of salt and ran to the bathroom. She slammed the door and lined it with salt like her brother had told her, before she sank to the floor, her back against the bathtub as she listened to the sound of the motel door being broken down._

Ali watched as Dean held his brother up, Sam's muscles going flopping. They were both kneeling and Sam's head tipped forward, his eyes rolling back into his head.

 _Tyler's screams vibrated through the floor and Ali decided that enough was enough. Teary eyed as she tried to contain her sobs, she slid open the lock on the door and pushed, but it wouldn't open. It was like there was something blocking the other side. She banged on the wood, tears streaming down her cheeks._

 _"_ _Tyler!" she yelled. She could hear that he was in pain. As she gasped, she could smell the stench of rotten eggs. The demons were killing him. "Tyler!" There was no reply and she pounded on the door some more until her knuckles were numb and bleeding._

"No, no, no," Dean repeated as he tried to shake his brother awake. "Sammy?" Ali's eyes were filled with tears as she watched. There was nothing she could do. There was nothing any of them could do.

 _The silence came suddenly, halting Ali's sobs as she swallowed them down. She pushed on the door and it gave easily, swinging open to reveal the motel room._

 _Whoever had been there was long gone, but what they'd left behind made Ali sick to her stomach. The vulgar stench of sulphur was far more intense, but that wasn't what made Ali's heart almost stop. There was blood everywhere. It was spattered on the drapes and pooling on the cheap carpet tiles. But what alarmed her the most was that there was no sign of her brother. Not even what might've been left of him._

 _Tyler was gone._

Dean held his brother tightly to him as his body rocked forward, his eyes sliding shut.

"Oh God," the elder Winchester sobbed as Sam stopped moving, his breathing becoming shallow. Ali couldn't see Dean's face, but she could see Sam's. It was lifeless. Emotionless. Dead. "Sammy!" Dean yelled, shaking his brother to try and get him to wake up. It was no use.

"Sam?" Ali whispered under her breath, her mind not quite contemplating what was happening whilst her heart refused to accept it.

But this wasn't some terrible nightmare. This was real.

Sam was gone.

* * *

Ali sat on the floor of the derelict cabin. The air was thick. Heavy. It wasn't warm, but somehow still muggy. It wasn't quite cold enough for Ali to be able to see her breath, but she still felt cold. Numb. Her bones felt stiff and brittle. Her head ached from trying to hold back her tears. She'd given up roughly three hours ago, but now she had none left to cry.

The girl's head rested against the wall, her tangled blonde locks falling randomly over her shoulders. She knew Dean was in the room behind the wall. He'd been in there all night with Sam. Sam's body. Sam's _dead_ body.

Bobby had gone in moments before and Ali could hear his voice through the splintering wood. She wanted to go in, but Bobby had advised her otherwise.

 _"_ _Leave him be,"_ the older hunter had said when she'd gone to take Dean some water. _"_ _I don't want you in there."_ Ali wasn't sure why. She assumed it was because Dean wanted to be alone. That's exactly how he'd been after John died. That's how she'd wanted to be after Tyler died.

There was a shout from inside the room and Ali leaned away from the wall. They were arguing. She stood up and walked to the door, her hand hovering over the handle. Bobby had told her not to go in, but she couldn't stand the sound of them yelling. She didn't know what to do.

All of a sudden, the door was yanked open and Bobby stood before her. He looked startled for a second before he sighed, placing a hand on her shoulder and pushing her gently towards the door.

"Come on," he said softly, leading her outside towards the car.

"What about Dean?" she asked, concerned for the elder Winchester. _What about Sam?_

"Dean's gonna stay here a while," Bobby replied simply, climbing into the car and gunning the engine. Ali knew from his tone of voice not to ask any more questions. In fact, she didn't say another word until they were back at the salvage yard in Sioux Falls.

Bobby was silent as they entered the house. Ali watched as he sunk down into the arm chair, his head in his hands, elbows on knees.

"Bobby?" Ali said tentatively. The older hunter sighed, his hands sliding down his cheeks as he looked up, meeting her sad eyes with an equally sombre gaze.

"You hungry?" he asked tiredly. "I think there's some chicken in the fridge." Ali shook her head as she stared back at him.

"Sam…" She started quietly, unable to finished her sentence. "Sam… Sam's…he's," Ali tried again, her jaw trembling along with the rest of her body. Bobby stood and walked over to the girl, pulling her close to his chest.

"I know, kiddo," he said as he rubbed her arm. "I know."

* * *

Ali didn't move as she sat in her Camaro around the back of the salvage yard. She didn't have the radio on, nor was she reading through a book or magazine. She just sat, staring out of the windshield.

For a while, things had seemed to be going from bad to worse. First was the hex, then was the truth about her parent's deaths coming out. Sam and Dean had left for months, and then some hunters had been after her. When things were looking bleak, that was when she'd stumbled across the Winchesters once again on a hunt- a hunt that had, for some reason, changed Dean's mind about being a part of Ali's life. Ever since the djinn, things seemed to be slowly getting better, and just when Ali thought things might be able to get back to normal, Sam had died, and Ali was devastated.

It was strange. Ali had experienced so much loss in her life that she expected it to get easier. It didn't. But Sam's death was still raw. An open wound. She couldn't accept it yet. What made her feel even worse was that she knew what Dean was going through, and she was worried about him. Worse than that was that the guy who'd killed Sam had got away. Losing Tyler was the worst pain she'd ever felt, and the thought of Dean now experiencing the same thing was heart-breaking.

She'd felt so angry. So utterly powerless. So alone.

It was getting later in the afternoon. Ali wasn't sure how long she'd been sitting in her car for. Somehow, it was comforting. She pulled down the sun visor above the driver's seat, sliding out the photograph of her and Tyler from when they were little. She'd been keeping it in the car since Bobby finished it, and although on some days, the picture was hard to look at, it mostly gave her the comfort and strength she needed to face the day.

With a sigh, Ali climbed out of the car. Bobby was probably wondering where she was and Ali didn't want to worry him. Pushing through the front door, she only realised how tired she was when an almighty yawn erupted from her mouth. She wiped her eyes, ready to collapse in her bed for the rest of the afternoon.

"Bobby?" Ali called as the door shut behind her. She could hear movement coming from the study and she made her way over. "Bobby, I'm heading…"

She stopped dead in her tracks. She'd been expecting the older hunter to be sitting at his desk, glass of whisky in hand. Who she saw almost made her heart stop.

"Sam?" Ali whispered under her breath, her eyes wide. The younger Winchester looked up from is reading and smiled. It was a tired smile, but a smile all the same.

"Hey Ali," Sam greeted as she stood there, completely frozen. She probably looked like she'd seen a ghost. Ali wasn't entirely certain that she hadn't. But this was Sam Winchester. This was definitely him, and he was most certainly _not_ dead.

Ali walked forward and without a word, wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him into a hug. He was warm and real. Ali couldn't believe it. Sam was _alive?_ The embrace reminded her of when she'd met him at the hospital after the crash roughly a year ago. She'd been so worried about him that she hadn't been able to help giving him a hug as soon as she saw him. That was a dark time in their lives. Dean was dying and John had ended up selling his soul to save him.

Ali pulled back abruptly and stared at the younger Winchester before her. She suddenly felt sick to her stomach.

"Where's Dean?" she asked, her heart beating rapidly in her chest.

"Outside helping Bobby," Sam replied, a slightly confused look on his face. Ali stepped out of the room and she could feel Sam hot on her heels. _Dean didn't… did he?_ She couldn't comprehend it. As she made it to the hall, the front door swung open, revealing Bobby, Dean and Ellen. Ali stopped abruptly, her eyes locking with Dean's. He had a guilty look on his face as he stared back at her, but also a pleading look. She stared harder at him, as if to ask _please tell me you didn't?_ Dean shook his head slightly. He couldn't tell her that. Ali choked, breaking eye contact with him as Sam brushed past her. The younger Winchester embraced Ellen tightly as Ali breathed. _He did._ Dean had made a deal to save Sam.

Ali didn't know how to feel. On one hand, she was happy that Sam was alive, but on the other hand, she couldn't bear the thought of Dean spending eternity being tortured in the fiery pit. All she wanted to know now was how long Dean would get before his soul was dragged to Hell.

* * *

"Ellen, what happened?" Ali asked the woman before her. "How'd you get out?" She remembered seeing the roadhouse a pile of ash and bodies. It made her stomach churn.

"I wasn't supposed to," Ellen replied. "I was supposed to be in there with everybody else. "But we ran out of pretzels, of all things. It was just dumb luck." She paused to take a shot of whisky before continuing with her story. They were all hoping she would have some more information on the yellow-eyed demon. "Anyway, that's when Ash called. Panic in his voice." Ellen sighed and Ali felt sad, thinking of their fallen friend. Ali had liked Ash. His death only made her hate the demons more. "He told me to look in the safe. Then the call cut out. By the time I got back, the flames were sky-high. And everybody was dead."

"Sorry, Ellen," Sam said, his eyes concerned.

"A lot of good people died in there," she replied sadly. "And I got to live." Ali thought of the man who'd saved her from the two hunters when she'd been at the roadhouse weeks ago. She hoped he hadn't been there when the fire started. "Lucky me."

"Ellen, you mentioned a safe," Bobby prompted.

"A hidden safe we keep in the basement," Ellen replied.

"Demons get what was in it?" he asked.

"No." Ellen pulled a map from her pocket and the group all gathered round to see as she set it down on the table.

"Wyoming," Dean mused. "What do all these lines and X's mean?" Ali stared at the map, her mind racing as she tried to think what it could be. She'd never see anything like it.

"I don't believe it," Bobby said suddenly and all eyes turned to him. "Each of these X's," he began, pointing to one of the marks on the map. "Is an abandoned frontier church. All mid nineteenth century. And all of them built by Samuel Colt."

"Samuel Colt?" Ali asked.

"The demon-killing, gun making Samuel Colt?" said Dean.

"Yep," Bobby replied. "And there's more." He pulled out a book from under the table and opened it up, finding the page he'd been looking through earlier and reading from it. "He built private railway lines. It just happens to lay out like this." Ali watched as Bobby grabbed a pen and began joining the X's together, the pattern resembling a pentagram.

"Is that what I think it is?" she asked, staring at the map.

"It's a Devil's Trap," Sam said. "A one hundred-square mile Devil's Trap."

"That's brilliant," Dean exclaimed. "Iron lines demons can't cross."

"I've never heard of anything that massive," Ellen mused. Ali hadn't either. Samuel Colt was a genius.

"After all these years none of the lines are broken?" Dean asked. "I mean, it still works?"

"Definitely," Sam replied. "All those omens Bobby found. I mean the demons, they must be circling and they can't get in."

"Why?" Ali asked quickly. "What's inside?"

"That's what I've been looking for," Dean replied. "And, uh, there's nothing except an old cowboy cemetery right in the middle."

"Well what's so important about a cemetery," Sam asked. "What's Colt trying to protect?" Dean sighed heavily. Ali could see the cogs turning behind his eyes.

"What if Colt wasn't trying to keep the demons out?" the elder Winchester suggested. "What if he was trying to keep something in?"

"Well that's a comforting thought," Ellen mused sarcastically.

"Could they do it, Bobby? Ali asked, turning to the older hunter. "Could they get inside?"

"I doubt it," he replied. "This thing's so powerful, no way a full-blood demon gets across."

"No," Sam said. "But I know who could." Ali looked up from the map at the younger Winchester. She could see the anger behind his features and she knew exactly who he was referring to. It was Jake, the guy who'd killed him.

* * *

Ali held her Colt 38 Super against her chest as she hid, crouched behind a headstone. She could hear voices not far from her where Sam was confronting Jake. Ali hung back, waiting for the right moment. She watched as Ellen stepped out of the shadows in front of her and she took that as her cue, pushing herself up and into view.

The five of them now had their guns aimed at the soldier whose eyes were wide as he stared at Sam.

"I killed you," he was saying in shock. "I cut clean through your spinal cord." Ali shared a weary look with Bobby as the words left Jake's mouth, both of them worried about what Sam would say. "You can't be alive. You can't be."

"Okay, just take it real easy there, son," Bobby said to Jake. That was when Ali noticed what Jake was holding. It was the Colt. The gun that could kill anything. Now, she was on high alert. She knew there was only one bullet left and it wasn't going to go to waste.

"And if I don't?" Jake challenged threateningly.

"Wait and see," Sam said darkly. Ali was a little taken aback at Sam's words, but she couldn't blame him. The guy had literally stabbed him in the back.

"What, you a tough guy all of a sudden?" Jake asked. "What are you gonna do? Kill me?"

"It's a thought," Sam said. Ali was inclined to agree with him.

"You had your chance," Jake said. "You couldn't."

"I won't make that mistake twice," Sam promised. Jake began to laugh, the sound hollow and sickening.

"What are you smiling at, you little bitch?" Dean spat. Jake's smile widened as he turned, making eye contact with Ellen.

"Hey Lady, do me a favour?" he said. "Put that gun to your head." Ali watched in horror as Ellen shakily moved her hand so that the barrel of her gun was pressed against her temple. Jake was controlling her and Ali feared what he might do next.

"Let her go," Sam commanded, raising his weapon threateningly.

"You'll be mopping up skull before you get a shot off," Joke replied. "Everybody, put your guns down or maybe I'll make your little friend blow her brains out too?" Ali gulped nervously as Jake's eyes passed over her. She dropped her Colt to the ground along with Sam, Dean and Bobby, though Jake made sure that Ellen kept hers pressed to her temple. "Thank you," he sang before turning around and inserting the Colt into the crypt.

Ali turned as Dean and Bobby ran to Ellen, the two men wrestling the gun out of her hand before Jake could have the chance to make her shoot herself. The gun went off and Ali ducked out of the way as a bullet whizzed past her head.

At the sound of more gun fire, Ali turned back to see that Sam was shooting at Jake. The soldier was now on the ground and Sam was standing over him, an animalistic snarl on his face. There was a moment of silence before Sam started shooting again, sending three more bullets into Jake's chest.

"Sam," Ali said softly as she placed a hand on his shaking arm. "He's dead." She looked up at his face to see him still staring at Jake's body on the ground. "Sam, he's dead," she repeated a little louder. After a moment, Sam seemed to snap out of it and he lowered his weapon, shaking his head as if to clear his thoughts.

"Oh, no," she heard Bobby say behind them. She looked to see that the engravings on the spinning as if unwinding something. Opening something.

"What the hell is that?" Ali asked as they stopped spinning. Dean ran forward and pulled the Colt from the crypt, but it was too late.

"It's Hell," Bobby said, taking a step back. "Take cover!" Ali stumbled backwards, pulling Sam with her by the sleeve of his jacket. He turned and pushed her down behind a tombstone, both of them crouch together as the doors of the crypt burst open. The only way Ali could describe what happened next was that it was like a dam had broken, and the water was gushing in, only the water was thick black smoke, and the dam was a Devil's Gate.

"What the hell just happened?" Sam asked as the demons rushed through the cemetery like they were in an electrical storm.

"It's a door to Hell," Ali told him breathlessly. "A barrier between Hell and Earth to keep the demons in," she explained. "And Jake just opened it."

"Come on!" they heard Ellen yell from across the graveyard. "We gotta shut that gate!" Ali and Sam ran to the crypt to help Bobby and Ellen. She pushed on the door that Bobby was holding and tried to get it to shut. It wouldn't budge.

"Dean!" Sam yelled, letting go of the other door and running to his brother's aid. Ali watched after him and caught sight of another figure. A man she'd never seen before. A man with yellow eyes. She observed in horror as Sam was thrown backwards.

"Hey!" Ali yelled, grabbing her Colt 38 from the grass and running towards the demon. She fired at him, the bullets piercing his chest but doing nothing to slow him down.

"You brought a Venator for backup," the demon said, his yellow eyes staring right through the blonde girl. "I'd say it was a smart move, but not when she'd the only one left." He brought up his hand, as if to throw something, and an invisible force sent Ali spinning through the air. She landed on the ground, her head smacking against a tombstone that made her vision go blurry. Something warm dribbled down the side of her face and it took her a moment to realise it was her own blood.

Ali groaned as she rolled over onto her back, her chest aching. She was pretty sure she'd cracked a rib too, but she hoped it was only bruised. She tried to sit up, but her body protested and she ended up only feeling dizzier.

She looked up, catching sight of the yellow-eyed demon who now had the Colt in his hand. It was cocked in Dean's direction and Ali held her breath, silently praying that the elder Winchester wasn't about to get his brains blown out.

Suddenly, a figure appeared behind the demon and grabbed him. The demon's meatsuit fell to the ground, leaving the new figure wrestling with a column of smoke. Ali squinted at the newcomer and she wasn't sure if what she was seeing was real.

John Winchester had his arms around the demon, trapping it. Ali gasped, her eyes widening when she saw who he was. The demon pushed him to the ground and the black smoke disappeared inside the body, possessing it once again. Yellow-eyes stood up, his eyes trained on Dean. Ali watched as Dean raised the Colt he now had in his hand, take a breath of air, and fire.

The bullet struck the demon in the heart and, similarly to the vampire Ali had seen John kill once before, there was a flash of light before the demon fell to the ground, his body still. Ellen and Bobby had managed to close the Devil's Gate, and now they all stared at John.

The hunter smiled at his eldest son, putting a proud hand on his shoulder. Next, his eyes made their way over to Sam who watched him with teary eyes. John stepped back, his eye locking with Ali's for a brief moment before his form flickered and he disappeared into the air.

The Winchesters stood over the demon's body, neither of them quite believing they'd actually done it.

"Well, check that off the to-do list," Dean muttered, his eyes still wide with shock at the nights events. A stream of blood had dried onto his forehead where the demon had thrown him across the graveyard.

"You did it," Sam said.

"I didn't do it alone," Dean replied.

"Do you think Dad really..." the younger Winchester trailed off, becoming a little choked up at the thought of his late father. "Do you think he really climbed outta hell?"

"The door was open," Dean said. "If anyone's stubborn enough to do it, it would be him."

"I kind of can't believe it, Dean," Sam said after a while, a small smile on his lips. "I mean, our whole lives. Everything has been prepping for this, and now I," he paused, releasing a little chuckle from his chest. "I kind of don't know what to say." Dean was thoughtful for a moment as he stared at his baby brother. The kid he'd looked out for since he was six months old.

"I do," he replied, bending down next to the demon's body. "That was for our mom, you son of a bitch."

* * *

Dean glanced around the cemetery, his eyes falling on the blonde girl who was slumped against a headstone. He walked over to her, relieved to discover that she wasn't unconscious.

"Ali?" he said, offering her a hand. She stared at it for a moment before taking it, clutching her side as he pulled her up, clearly in some pain. "You good?" She looked him in the eye and he raised a brow at her, hoping the answer was yes.

A second later, he felt the sharp pain of her palm across his face and he held a hand to his burning cheek.

"What was that for?" Dean asked harshly as he rubbed his face, though he still kept a hand on her arm in case she lost balance.

"You know what," Ali replied, sending him a glare before she threw her arms around his neck. Dean was a little taken aback by her sudden change of mood, but then he understood. She was mad at him for the deal he'd made, but at the same time, she understood. He hugged her back.

"How long?" she mumbled into his chest as he held her. "Tell me." Dean sighed.

"One year," he replied. Ali gripped him tighter, her eyes brimming with tears. When she pulled away, they were gone. She wouldn't let Dean see her cry. Not when he'd just defeated the demon he'd been hunting practically all his life.

Dean walked her to Bobby and Ellen who then proceeded to check her wounds. Ellen seemed less than pleased that Ali had ignored her warning, but the seventeen-year-old didn't let it faze her. She was exactly where she wanted to be. Her fears or worries weren't going to change that.

It was a struggle to get Bobby to let her walk to the car without his assistance, and once she'd started to make her way, Ali realised it was going to be even more of a struggle to actually get there by herself. Everything ached, and she was now pretty sure that she _had_ cracked a rib or two. _Great_. No way Bobby was going to let her hunt for at least a couple of months.

"Hey Ali?" she heard the elder Winchester call when she'd nearly reached the car. She looked over to see that Sam and Dean were standing next to the Impala, both looking a little worse for wear. From the look on Sam's face, it was obvious Dean had told him the truth about the deal he'd made to save him. "I guess we've got another demon to start looking for now, huh?"

Ali frowned at what he'd said. She was pretty sure they now had hundreds of demons they needed to look for considering the number that'd escaped from the Devil's Gate.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"We had an arrangement, remember?" Dean said. "You help take down yellow eyes, we help take down the one that killed your brother." Ali's eyes widened for a moment in realisation before they narrowed at the man before her. _Was he being serious?_ "I know my dad said he would help."

"My deal with John was about the Colt," Ali corrected him. Dean sighed, holding out the gun in question to her. Ali shook her head. "I don't want it. It's kinda useless without any bullets."

"We'll find another way," Sam said, a little unexpectedly. Ali caught his eye for a moment before shaking her head.

"Come on, Ali," Dean prompted. "A deal's a deal."

"The deal I made with your dad isn't what you should be concerned about," Ali said harshly, her eyes darting between the two brothers. "Look, I'm not gonna drag you two around looking for some demon when Dean's only got a year left," she explained, looking Dean in the eye. "We've gotta save you first."

"But Ali," Dean started, a little confused. "You've been waiting for this for so long."

"I know," Ali replied. "Can we just all agree to shut up about this Tyler thing? I'm not going off on some insane revenge plan whilst Dean's life is on the clock."

"Are you sure?" Ali nodded in response, though she wasn't sure she was being truthful. Now, more than any other time before, she wanted to find the demon that killed Tyler and make it pay. She'd been waiting for the opportunity for so long, but something always seemed to get in the way.

But now, Dean was in danger, and there was no way she could focus on anything else knowing Dean only had a year left. Besides, there were hundreds of demons loose after the Devil's Gate had been opened. They had work to do.

* * *

 **AN: Hope you liked that chapter!**

 **So we've officially reached the end of season 2. Thanks so much for reading!**

 **Should I make the next couple of seasons into another story or post all the chapters in this one? Up to you guys. Also, what do you guys wanna see more of/less of as the story goes into season 3? I've planned more original story lines though still encompassing the main plot of the season.**

 **Let me know what you thought, much love x**


	25. Chapter 25 - Another Brick In The Wall

**AN: WARNING - talk of suicide and suicide. This story is rated M.**

* * *

"I'm not wearing this," the teen said from inside the bathroom. Dean stood impatiently outside the door, half and eye on the time as Ali changed.

"It's fine," he assured her, a little irritated. "Can you hurry up?" The elder Winchester pulled at the tie around his neck. It was uncomfortable and made him feel like he was being strangled. He turned at the sound of the bathroom door unlocking and waited for the girl to exit.

An unimpressed glare had formed on Ali's face as she stepped into the dimly lit motel room. Dean regarded her up and down, a small smile of amusement tugging at his lips.

"I don't wear dresses," Ali deadpanned. The black bodice and floral skater skirt wasn't exactly her usual style, but it was what Dean had deemed 'appropriate' for their next case.

"Yeah well, at least you look like a girl now," he replied. Ali glared at him, shoving the empty plastic bags at his chest as she stormed over to the dresser to try and tame her hair. "And lose the attitude," Dean added as she angrily unmated her blonde locks. "Try to remember this was _your_ idea."

"All I said was that having a person on the inside would help," Ali pointed out. "I never said I wanted to dress up like a high school prom queen." Dean couldn't help but laugh. Although the dress did actually look nice on her, he couldn't help but appreciate how different she looked. Moreover, he couldn't ignore the blatant hatred she had for the clothes he'd picked out for her to wear. "I'm not a frickin cheerleader, okay?"

"Yeah, except two out of three of the kids that were found dead _were_ on the cheerleading squad," Dean reminded her. "You need to get close to their friends to find out what's going on. And for that, you need to blend in." Ali had to admit that it was the best plan they had. Three kids from the same high school had turned up dead in the last two months, and if they were going to catch whatever was behind the killings, they were going to need more information than they could get from looking at police reports. All they knew so far were their names: Luka James, Anna Young and Grace Meyer. All roughly the same age. All seniors at the local high school.

"Fine," the teen sighed as she pulled her hair into a neat ponytail. The motel room door swung open, revealing Sam who was carrying several bags and three coffees. Dean went straight for his coffee as Ali pulled one of the bags from Sam's hand and began rummaging around in it.

"Okay, this is cool," she said with a smile, pulling out a black bomber jacket and threading her arms through the sleeves. A sense of relief flooded through her at the sight of something she wouldn't feel ridiculous wearing. "I do actually like this."

"That's probably because it's a man's jacket," Dean said quickly, pulling it off of her possessively. Ali glared at him. "And it's not for you."

"Why do _you_ need another jacket?" she asked with a raised brow.

"Because I'm posing as your uncle," Dean explained. "And I have to look respectable enough to be responsible for a teenager."

"You're already wearing a tie," Ali deadpanned. "And that thing is way too small for you." Dean frowned at her a moment before checking the label, disappointed when he saw that Ali was entirely right.

"Dammit," Dean muttered under his breath. "I'll have to go exchange it." Ali rolled her eyes and quickly turned away, her mood significantly depleted as she sulked back to the mirror to fix her makeup.

"Just let her wear the jacket," Sam sighed to his brother. Dean shook his head stubbornly and Sam sent him a pointed look. "Dean, let her wear the jacket." The younger Winchester nodded his head in Ali's direction and Dean looked to see that the teen was now examining her back where a large scar spread out from under her dress. His teeth gritted together when he remembered holding her down and pressing a red-hot fire iron to that exact spot only months ago.

"Fine, whatever," he agreed absentmindedly, his mind now elsewhere. Sam took the jacket and tossed it in Ali's direction. She grinned back at him, having not court the brother's conversation.

A moment later, the sound of a cell phone ringing pervaded the motel room. All three of the hunters in the room looked up, catching each other's eye until Ali realised it was hers and began rummaging around in her bag for it.

"Who is it?" Sam asked. "Is it Bobby?" Ali groaned at the caller I.D., rubbing an exasperated hand across her forehead.

"It's Tim," she sighed. In the few weeks since Dean had killed the yellow-eyed demon, Ali had spent the majority of the time at Bobby's place. On one Tuesday afternoon, an unexpected visitor had arrived at the door and, considering Ali had been the one to answer it, it had been impossible for her to deny the boy some of her time. Ever since, Tim had been calling every other day for a catch-up, much to Ali's annoyance.

"Who the hell's Tim?" Sam asked with a frown.

"Ali's boyfriend," Dean replied with a grin. Ali huffed at that.

"He's _not_ my boyfriend," she sighed as the phone kept ringing. She didn't want to speak to him now. She'd call him back later. "He's just some kid that knew Tyler in high school. He used to follow him around like a lost puppy."

"Tyler went to high school?" Sam asked incredulously. From the stories Ali had told him about her brother, he didn't seem like the kind of guy who'd bother with it.

"Yeah, Bobby used to make him go," Ali explained as she rejected the call and shoved her phone back inside her bag.

"And he didn't make you go?" he asked. Ali smirked.

"He tried."

"Can you two hurry up?" Dean cut in as he pulled the suit jacket over his arms. "Don't want you to be late for your first day." The seventeen-year-old didn't seemed even remotely amused as she grabbed her coffee that Sam was still holding and elbowed the elder Winchester in the ribs on the way out.

"I'm supposed to be a senior," Ali called over her shoulder as she exited the motel room.

"Right," Dean replied as he grabbed the file of documents and transcripts they had forged for Ali. "Who am I supposed to be again?" Sam rolled his eyes as he downed his own coffee and headed out the door after her.

"Her uncle." Dean shrugged. The job seemed easy enough. He just hoped they could pull it off.

* * *

Ali took a breath as she waited in the office. She'd spent a grand total of one day in high school when she was fourteen and it hadn't ended well. Since then, she'd hated the idea of being stuck inside all day with naïve teenagers and irritating teachers. Ali didn't care about Geography or English Literature. All she cared about was hunting.

But this was only for a week or two. Just until they figured about what was behind the killings.

It didn't take long for Ali to be officially enrolled at the school. The only delay was when Dean stopped to flirt with the receptionist. She'd offered to walk Ali to her first class, but Dean had insisted he'd do it himself, wanting to give her a little pep talk before the day began.

"You put me in AP Biology?" she asked worriedly as she flicked through her schedule. She wasn't sure if Dean even knew what that was.

"One of the kids that died was in that class," Dean told her. Ali could feel her heart rate rising as they walked through the empty corridors.

"Dean, I'm not smart. I'm not gonna be able to blend in with these kids!" she hissed through gritted teeth.

"Relax, okay. It doesn't matter about the classes," he told her. "It's a job." Her palms were sweating. She remembered her first day in high school like it was yesterday. She remembered all the faces staring at her. She remembered them whispering and asking questions. Tyler was already gone by then. Ali had felt entirely alone in the sea of students.

"I don't know if I can do this, Dean."

"You're gonna do great, kiddo," Dean assured her, both his hands on her shoulders as he steered her towards the class room. She stopped right outside, her feet not able to move any further forward. To say she was nervous was a huge understatement. "It's just another job." Ali inhaled the muggy air deep into her lungs and released it slowly.

"Just another job," she repeated under her breath. "Just another job."

"You know what you gotta so?" he asked, squeezing her shoulders a little as if preparing her for battle. Ali nodded.

"Yep."

"Attagirl," said Dean, clapping her on the shoulders a final time before knocking on the door. There was a beat, and then the door swung open.

Ali didn't hear what Dean and the teacher conversed about as she was ushered into the class room. She stood like a deer in the headlights in front of the room of students.

"Class, this is Allison Williams," the teacher said. Ali caught Dean's eye just before the door swung shut and he gave her a thumbs up. "I'm sure we'll all give her a warm welcome." Ali's eyes shifted over from the greying man to the sea of seniors before her. The ones that were looking up at her held blank, bored expressions whilst the others whispered to each other. The teen rolled back her shoulders, trying to gain more confidence in herself as the teacher pointed her towards an empty seat. She wasn't like the rest of them. She wasn't a real student. She may have been the same age as them, but that was all they had in common.

Ali sunk into her seat, ignoring the questions that the other students were asking each other.

 _"_ _Who's the new kid?"_

 _"_ _She's starting half way through the semester? Who does that?"_

Ali blocked them out. This was a case, and she had a job to do. She could wing the school work. It didn't matter if she got in trouble for not completing her homework correctly. The only thing that mattered was finding out why all these kids were turning up dead and putting a stop to it.

But when the teacher, Mr Rice, announced that there was going to be a quiz on the first half of _Jane Eyre_ at the end of the week, Ali groaned. This was going to be harder than she thought.

* * *

If Ali thought English Literature was bad, it was nothing compared to the calculus class she found herself in after Gym. She'd found the double period of exercise easy enough, not minding that she'd spent most of it running laps since she didn't have a clue how to play lacrosse.

But now, as the teacher scrawled numbers and symbols that she'd never seen before across the black board, Ali simply sank back into her seat and tried to be invisible.

"Alright class, can I have two volunteers to solve the integrals on the board?" the sprightly teacher asked. Ali was pretty sure she'd said her name was Miss Prime at the beginning of the period. She was a fairly short woman, and her neat blonde hair fell in perfect rings to her shoulders.

A few hands shot up around the room, but most of them remained down. Ali's most definitely did. Miss Prime's eyes scanned the rows of students behind her glasses that were positioned on the tip of her nose.

"Christopher," she called. A boy a few desks down from Ali slowly rose to his feet. He hadn't had his hand up either, but he didn't seem particularly phased after being picked on unexpectedly. "And Allison." Ali was almost sick right there on her desk. She glanced up, meeting the teacher's encouraging eyes as she beckoned her towards the front. The teen stood slowly as she took a deep breath, psyching herself up for the humiliation that was about to take place.

Miss Prime handed her a piece of white chalk and gestured to the question on the board. Ali didn't know what it meant. She didn't even know what an integral was. The symbols she was used to were binding sigils or warding. Not math.

"Four pi over three." Ali looked to her left and caught the boy's gaze.

"What?" Christopher glanced quickly at the teacher before nodding his head towards the black board.

"The answer's four pi over three," he repeated. Ali could see that he was already done with his question and had put his chalk back on the desk. She stared at him startled for a moment before she nodded.

"Oh, thanks," she whispered back, quickly scrawling the answer down before returning to her seat.

"Good job," Miss Prime congratulated as she checked the solutions with her own. "Who's next?" A few more hands shot up around Ali and the lesson continued without her having to participate again. It felt like days later when the bell finally rang and she gathered her things into her bag and headed for the door.

"You're welcome," a voice said from beside her as she pushed through the crowd to the corridor. Ali looked over her shoulder to see that Christopher was walking beside her, his backpack slung over one shoulder.

"Right, yeah, thanks for helping me out in there," she replied. The boy chuckled at little at how frazzled she seemed.

"Didn't you take pre-calculus?" he asked with a raised brow. Ali chewed on her lip as she tried to think.

"I uh, I missed a lot of classes last year," she replied. "Family drama."

"Yeah, I missed a lot after my mom died," Christopher told her. Ali shot him a sympathetic look, feeling a pang of hurt for the kid. She knew what that felt like.

"You lost your mom?"

"Yeah. Cancer." There was a beat of silence as they continued to walk down the corridor and Ali realised she wasn't exactly sure where she needed to go next. "Don't worry. I'm sure you'll catch up." Ali didn't think so, but she was grateful for the vote of confidence and forced a smile on her face.

"Yeah, thanks," she replied.

"See you around, Allison," he said with a grin before heading off to his next class.

"Bye." Ali pulled out her schedule and groaned when she saw she had a double period of Economics next in class room twenty-seven. _Twenty-seven?_ She had no idea where that was.

After fifteen minutes of wondering the high school halls, she finally came across the right room and pushed through the door. As she entered the room, she stopped dead in her tracks, her eyes locking with Sam Winchester's.

Sam swallowed thickly as he stared at the girl before him, the bizarreness of the situation almost making him laugh. He quickly cleared his throat, taking a moment to collect himself.

"You're late," he told her in a stern voice. Ali bit her lip. She knew that Sam was undercover as a supply teacher at the high school, but it had somehow never occurred to her that he might teach one of _her_ classes.

"Sorry, Mr… uh…."

"Murdoch," he filled in for her. "Take a seat." Ali nodded quickly and made her way to the only available desk. She recognised a few of the students from her other classes, but most of them were unfamiliar. She really needed to start asking questions before it was too late and another student ended up dead.

"Alright," Sam began, now addressing the whole class. "We're discussing elasticity of demand today. Can anyone tell me what that is?" A few hands went up and Sam's eyes scanned the room, landing briefly on Ali who slowly shook her head. The younger Winchester smiled a little before focussing on another student and continuing with the class.

The lesson went by fairly quickly. Ali didn't pay much attention to what Sam was saying, instead spending most of the class scrutinising the other pupils. She recognised a few of them from photographs in the news. They'd been friends with the kids who'd been killed. Ali wondered how they all seemed to be able to keep it together.

"Okay, that's it for today," Sam announced as the lesson bell sounded. "Uh, Miss Williams? Can you stay behind please?" Ali caught Sam's eye and nodded, waiting for all the other kids to leave the room before they began their conversation.

"You found anything yet?" she asked as she pulled herself up on the teacher's desk to sit.

"Nothing much," Sam replied. "Tensions are pretty high in the staff room. All the teachers seem pretty shaken up about what's been going on but other than that…" He trailed off, running a hand through his hair to push it back away from his eyes. "Dean doesn't seem to be doing much better either. You found anything?"

"So far, I've just been trying to keep my head above water," Ali replied. Sam shot her a sympathetic look. "All these kids are so much smarter than me."

"Hey, that's not true."

"Are you kidding?" she asked incredulously. "Sam, I didn't understand anything you said for the last hour." The younger Winchester chuckled at the girl before him.

"Ali, that doesn't mean you're not smart," Sam told her, trying to make her feel better. "None of us have found any leads yet. We just need a little more time."

"Yeah, you're right." Ali signed as she ran her fingers through her hair, her nails scraping against her scalp in a way she found therapeutic. "Guess I just have a lot on my mind, you know?" Sam nodded. Through everything that had been going on with the case, there will still the underlying dread of what was going to happen within the year. Dean's deal underpinned every day, every decision, every movement. It was all Ali and Sam could think about, though neither of them spoke about it much.

"Yeah, tell me about it," Sam sighed. Ali considered him a moment as she chewed on her lower lip.

"You still thinking about that girl?" she asked boldly. Sam's eyes slowly flickered over to her and he raised a brow.

"It's obvious that you still are," he pointed out.

"Look, she saved your ass Sam," Ali reminded him. "I just wanna know who she is." The teen had been thinking about it ever since the mysterious blonde woman had showed up out of the blue and saved Sam from some deadly demons. It seemed obvious that she was some kind of hunter, but that only made Ali more curious. Could it be that she was in some way connected to the man that had saved her at the roadhouse months ago?

"Ali, she also had a demon-killing knife," Sam pointed out. "You trying to tell me that isn't on your mind at all?" Ali quickly shook her head. The reaction was a little _too_ quick for Sam's liking.

"What? No," she said. "No, I'm not even thinking about Tyler until we figure out how to save Dean." Sam wondered if maybe Ali had convinced herself that it was the truth. She had yet to convince him of it.

"If you say so," he murmured back. The bell sounded again and Ali hopped off the desk, realising that the next teacher wouldn't be as forgiving if she were late again.

Her Biology class dragged horrendously and when the lunch bell finally rang, Ali breathed a sigh of relief. She'd been told by the receptionist at the beginning of the day that she needed to see the guidance counsellor as she was a new student. Ali made her way towards the office where she took a seat and waited for her appointment.

Not before long, another girl took a seat opposite her. Her hair was dark and covered half of her face. Ali recognised her instantly from a photo she'd seen in a police report. She'd found one of the victim's bodies a few weeks ago.

The girl looked up, clearly having sensed that someone was watching her. Ali blinked quickly before plastering a smile on her face.

"Hey, I'm Allison," she greeted tentatively. The brunette girl was clearly upset. Ali was pretty sure she knew why.

"I know," the girl replied. "You're in my calculus class." Ali nodded, now remembering that she'd seen her earlier that day. "I'm Emily."

"You want some water?" Emily shook her head as she brushed the hair away from her face. Ali could see where tears had dragged her eye makeup down her cheeks. She quickly pulled a tissue from a bow on the table next to her and handed it to the girl.

"Thanks," Emily said quietly.

"You knew that girl, right?" Ali asked tentatively. "Grace Meyer?" Emily's expression hardened for a moment before she sighed, sinking back into her chair as she nodded.

"Yeah, I knew her since middle school," she replied. Ali knew she had to tread carefully, but she also knew she didn't have a lot of time.

"And you found her? After she fell off the roof?" Emily sniffed as she wiped the mascara from her cheeks.

"I didn't just find her," she replied. "I saw her jump."

"She jumped?" Ali asked incredulously. "The news said it was an accident." Emily sighed.

"No one believed me," she replied. "Apparently a suicide in a school is just too much paperwork." Her tone was bitter, but Ali understood where her anger was coming from.

"Did you notice anything strange? Any sounds or smells?" Ali asked. Emily shot her a weird look.

"Smells?"

"Like rotten eggs," Ali explained. Emily shook her head. "Can you think why Grace would've wanted to kill herself?" She shook her head again.

"No idea," the brunette girl replied. "She just found out she had a place a Princeton."

"Wow," Ali replied. "She must've been smart."

"She was," Emily replied. "And popular and pretty. Even had the perfect boyfriend."

"Who was her boyfriend?"

"Christopher Davis," Emily told her. "You probably met him earlier. He's in our calculus class." Ali's eyes widened. She remembered the kid from earlier. He'd seemed nice enough.

Before she had a chance to ask another question, the office door opened up and Emily disappeared inside.

* * *

"Emily was pretty certain she saw Grace jump," Ali told Sam and Dean when the three of them reconvened back at the motel later that day.

"Did she say why?" Sam asked.

"No. Sounds like her life was pretty perfect." Ali was thoughtful for a moment as she remembered how upset Grace had been. She couldn't imagine watching a friend do something like that and she felt bad for the girl. "Did you find anything?"

"I talked to Luka's parents," Dean announced. Luka was the first of the victims that had been found at the school. He'd been discovered by one of the cleaners in the restroom with a pair of scissors jammed into his chest. He'd bled out hours before anyone found him. "The kid had good grades, set right up for college."

"Was he popular?" Ali asked.

"Not particularly," Dean replied. "But he wasn't a loner if that's what you mean."

"Was Anna Young also a perfect student?" Ali asked, turning to Sam. The younger Winchester sighed.

"She was until about four months ago," he explained. "I checked her school record. Perfect attendance until she hit senior year. The teachers seem to think she fell into the wrong crowd. Looks like she was pretty close to getting kicked out." Sam pulled out a piece of paper from the file of documents he'd made copies of at the school and showed it to the others. Dean took it from his hands as he examined it before looking through the rest of the papers.

"What happened to her again?" Dean asked.

"Overdosed in the locker room," Sam said sombrely.

"So, what do we think it is?" Ali asked, pushing back the feeling of dread that had settled in her stomach. "Some kind of ghost sickness?"

"Could be," the younger Winchester agreed. "But why these kids? They're all seniors but other than that, there's nothing to connect all three."

"Grace and Anna were both on the cheerleading squad," Ali reminded him.

"But Luka wasn't." Ali bit her lip. There had to be something else to link all three of the victims together.

"Hey, what was that girl's name who said she saw Grace jump?" Dean asked suddenly as she scanned through the papers.

"Emily," Ali replied. "Why?"

"I think I found our link," he replied. "This Emily chick knew all three. She's in all their classes." Ali frowned as Dean showed her copies of all the registers.

"That doesn't mean she killed them," she argued. "Maybe it's just a coincidence." Dean scoffed.

"She admitted that she saw Grace jump. Maybe she pushed her," he suggested.

"Emily and Grace were friends," Ali reminded him, growing a little irritated by Dean's suggestion.

"Yeah, according to Emily," Dean shot back. Ali huffed. She'd seen how upset Emily was in the office. Either Dean was wrong or the brunette girl was an extremely good actress.

"We don't know for sure," Sam interjected. "Why don't you keep an eye on her tomorrow and Dean and I will see if we can find out more." Ali nodded reluctantly but didn't argue any more. Dean also agreed, though his reluctance seemed even stronger.

"Fine, whatever," he replied, glancing over to Ali. "Don't you have homework or something to do?" The seventeen-year old glared back at him as she grabbed her bag and headed off to her room.

* * *

Ali was sat by herself in the cafeteria when a tray was placed next to her and somebody slid across the bench.

"Hey," Christopher greeted cheerily. Ali smiled a little, though kept half an eye on the brunette girl who was sitting at another table. She'd been watching Emily for the past couple of days and was yet to notice anything out of the ordinary.

"Hi."

"Did you get the calculus homework done yet?" he asked, stabbing a few pieces of pasta onto his fork and shovelling it into his mouth.

"Not yet," Ali replied as she pushed her own pasta around the plastic plate.

"You can copy mine if you want," the boy offered. "Say, Friday, seven o'clock?" Ali halted her pasta pushing, her eyes flickering over to the blue-eyed senior.

"As smooth as that was," she begun, her voice only a little sarcastic. "I think I'll have to pass."

"Why?" he asked. He didn't seem upset by her answer, just genuinely curious. "Is Friday family night?" Ali stifled a laugh, glad her mouth wasn't full of pasta.

"No," she replied with a shake of her head. "And no offence, but I don't usually go for high school kids." Christopher shot her a weird look before he shrugged.

"Fair enough," he replied, finishing off his pasta before moving on to Ali's. She let him eat it without any protest. "Worth a shot." Ali laughed a little, and then she remembered what Emily had said. Her eyes narrowed at the boy next to her.

"Didn't your girlfriend die like three weeks ago?" Christopher stopped chewing, a guilty look falling on his face. Ali arched a brow at him challengingly.

"Yeah," he said, cringing at himself. It was the first time Ali had seen him anything but elated. "I'm a terrible human being." Ali shook her head at him sympathetically.

"You're not," she assured him. "Might just wanna wait a little longer before you ask out the new kid."

"It wasn't serious," Christopher defended. "We'd only been together for a month. We hadn't even had sex yet." Ali pursed her lips together, unsure what she should say next. Christopher had a tendency to overshare a little and Ali, who was somewhat of a closed book, found herself speechless on occasion.

Luckily for her, their conversation was interrupted by another presence opposite. Ali looked up as a girl she didn't recognise sat down, her tray placed carefully on the edge of the table with a salad neatly piled on top of a plate.

"We really need to get started on our Chemistry assignment if we want to get it done by the holidays, Christopher," she said, shrugging off her expensive looking jacket and repositioning her hair.

"I know, Tiffany," Christopher sighed. "I've just got a lot on my mind these days."

"I know, and I get it," the girl, Tiffany, agreed. "I still haven't found a replacement for Grace and the girl who took Anna's spot I don't think has ever seen a scorpion before." Ali raised her brows in shock at the girl who'd just appeared.

"Don't you think that's a little insensitive?" Christopher cut in, though it was clear he wasn't surprised by his friend's comments.

"Insensitive?" she scoffed. "I'm the one that has to waste time with sophomores who think no one will notice if they put their hands down in a side aerial." Tiffany scoffed, her elbows resting on the table as she picked at her salad.

"You knew Anna?" Ali asked tentatively. The defeated girl looked up as if noticing Ali for the first time.

"Of course, I did," she replied, eyeing Ali up and down. "You must be Allison Williams." Ali was a little taken aback, especially when Tiffany's hand was thrust forward for her to shake. She took it cautiously.

"Yeah, I just moved here," Ali lied.

"With your uncle," Tiffany filled in. Ali nodded. "I'm on the student council and I like to try and get to know all my peers."

"That's nice, I guess," the blonde teen replied. Tiffany smiled tightly back at her before the bell sounded. Christopher shot Ali a reassuring smile as they stood and grabbed their things.

"Don't worry, she's always like that." Ali returned the smile as he clapped her on the shoulder, hoping that Tiffany wouldn't take the liberty of getting to know her _too_ well.

* * *

After three days of keeping an eye on Emily, Ali had decided that there was no way she could be behind the deaths. She'd followed her to the cafeteria, watched her in all the classes she could and even waited for her outside the counsellor's office. Of course, Emily had taken this as an indication that she and Ali were becoming friends. Ali couldn't deny the fact that she was beginning to like Emily too.

It wasn't until the final period of the week that Ali noticed something off about the brunette girl. She'd been acting distant all day and when their biology class rolled around, Ali knew that something was definitely bothering her.

Al spent nearly the full hour of the lesson staring at the back of Emily's head. She was shaking. The movement was subtle, but Ali could see it in her hands when she bent down to grab her textbook from her bag. And when Emily raised her hand and asked if she could go to the bathroom, Ali could tell from her voice that she was most definitely _not_ alright.

The brunette girl practically ran from her desk to the door, taking her back with her. Ali watched her through the window as she hurried down the corridor, her feet slapping against the laminate flooring.

Ali stood and made her way to the door.

"Where do you think you're going, Miss Williams?" the teacher, Mr Clark, asked. Ali didn't look back as she ignored him, heading out the classroom and following Emily down the corridor. "Miss Williams!"

Ali grabbed her phone from her pocket, dialling Sam's number as she tried to catch up with her friend.

 _"_ _Ali, what's going on?"_ Sam asked frantically.

"Something's wrong with Emily," Ali told him as she ran.

 _"_ _Why? What's happening?"_

"I'm not sure, just hurry up. I'm on the first floor," she told him before hanging up. "Emily!" Ali yelled as the out of control teen pushed through another door into the bathroom. "Emily!"

Ali sprinted into the bathroom, stopping dead in her tracks when she saw the girl in front of her. Emily was surrounded by shards of glass, the pieces from the broken mirror that hung on the wall. One of her hands was bloody and cut and Ali guess she must've put her fist through it.

"Emily, just relax okay," Ali said as she took a step closer. Emily flinched, though she wasn't crying or shaking like Ali had expected. She was perfectly still. "What's wrong?" She didn't reply, simply bending down and retrieving one of the broken pieces of mirror from the floor. "What are you doing?" Ali asked as Emily held the shard in her hand. "Emily, no!" she yelled as she lunged forward. It was too late. Emily had already jammed the piece of mirror into her neck.

Ali gasped, shock more than anything halting her steps as she stared at the horrific scene before her. Blood spurted everywhere as Emily fell to her knees and collapsed in a heap on the floor. Her body convulsed for a moment before stilling. The blonde girl couldn't breathe.

"Ali!" She heard Sam's voice behind her as he ran into the bathroom. He stopped next to her momentarily as he took in what was happening, before running forward to the injured teen on the floor. The room quickly flooded with more people. Mr Clark appeared first, along with several other students who screamed when they spotted Emily on the floor Ali was sure she must've been dead now.

"Okay, can we clear the room please?" Mr Clark began as he motioned for everyone to leave. Ali could see that Sam was already on the phone, no doubt to the emergency services. "Miss Williams?"

Ali let the biology teacher push her out of the bathroom as he tried to clear the scene. Her ears were filled with the cries and shouts of other students who'd witnessed the sight of Emily lying dead on the tiles, but none of them had actually seen it happen. Ali had. She'd watched it happen before her eyes, powerless to stop it.

"Ali turned from the crowd, heading down the corridor against the flow of students that were swarming the tragedy. Some were crying but more looked confused as if they didn't know what was going on. Ali needed to get out. She knew she'd probably have to talk to the cops about what she'd witnessed, but right then, she needed to be out of the school.

She'd just about managed to squeeze through the sea of people when she spotted him. He was right up ahead, his face shadowed by the black hood he wore. Ali recognised the figure from the night he'd saved her at the roadhouse. He'd scared the hunters away before disappearing into the night like smoke. Now, he was staring right at her.

"Hey!" Ali yelled at him as she approached. He turned from her, heading out of sight before she could reach him. "Hey!" The teen began to run, infuriated that he might slip away again. She followed him down the stairwell and out into the parking lot. The vicinity was already swarming with police cars and paramedics. Ali looked frantically through the blue lights, her eyes falling on the back of a motorcycle as it sped away and out of view.

He was gone.

* * *

 **AN: To be continued...**

 **Thanks for reading :)**

 **Check out my other stories I've posted if you're interested!**

 **Let me know what you thought, much love x**


	26. Chapter 26 - Leave Them Kids Alone

**Warning: Mentions of suicide. This story is rate M.**

* * *

Sam watched as Dean bit into his burger and washed the mouthful down with a gulp of beer. He took another bite, the man seemingly unaware of the tension in the girl sitting next to him. To Dean, this was just another hunt, and Sam couldn't blame him for thinking that. It _was_ just another hunt. It was routine. People got hurt when the supernatural was involved. Sometimes they died. It wasn't easy for any of them, but it wasn't something they tended to dwell on. If they did, they'd slowly find themselves going insane.

Sam's eyes shifted to Ali. She hadn't touched her burger or her fries or her soda. In fact, Sam hadn't seen her eat a single thing since she'd seen Emily die at the school on Friday. It was Sunday now.

"You gonna eat that?" Dean asked, his mouth full as he eyed Ali's greasy meal. He swallowed down his last bite of burger as he waited for an answer. Ali shook her head.

"Go for it," she replied, shoving her plate towards the elder Winchester. Sam continued to watch her. The teen's eyes were downcast as she held her soda cup between her hands, though the straw never made it to her lips.

"You want something else?" he asked her finally, concerned by her lack of appetite. When it came to her eating habits, Allison Venator was just like Dean. She was probably the only person he'd met who could give his brother a run for his money in an eating competition. Sam had never seen anyone of her size eat so much. Her metabolism must've been incredible.

"I'm not really hungry," Ali replied, her eyes still not meeting his. Sam sighed as he leant over the table, his elbows resting on the edge.

"What happened on Friday wasn't your fault –."

"Demonic possession," Ali said suddenly, cutting off the younger Winchester. "It's gotta be." Sam sighed again, this time in resignation as he leant back into his seat.

"There wasn't any sulphur," Dean replied, swallowing a mouthful of fries. Now Ali was leaning forward on the table, her hands flat on the white, plastic surface.

"Then it was ghost possession," she deduced. Sam shook his head.

"No EMF." Sam watched as Ali closed her eyes and took a deep breath. He wasn't sure if she was trying to come up with another theory or reliving the events from Friday over and over again inside her head. He hoped it wasn't the latter. "We discussed this yesterday," he said tentatively. "It's something else. Not possession." Ali released a long breath.

"All I know is that Emily wasn't herself when she left the biology class," she said, opening her eyes and staring out the murky diner window. "And she wasn't the one responsible for the other kid's deaths." Her eyes scanned the parking lot as she wracked her brain for ideas. She caught sight of a motorcycle parked near the diner entrance. It wasn't the one she'd seen on Friday, but it reminded her of the mysterious man's appearance. _Who was he?_ _Why did he keep showing up out of the blue?_ Ali hadn't told Sam and Dean about him. She'd yet to tell a soul about him. Although she'd definitely considered the possibility, she didn't think he had anything to do with the deaths at the school. He'd seemed indifferent to it in the brief moment Ali had seen him. He'd only seemed interested in _her._

"Well maybe someone's trying to make an army of ghosts?" Dean suggested, pulling Ali from her thoughts. Ali didn't believe a word of it, and from the look in his eyes, the elder Winchester didn't either. "Violent deaths mean a lot of pissed off spirits."

"Could be some kind of sacrifice?" Sam added. Ali thought for a moment. Emily hadn't been herself when she'd stuck that shard of mirror into her neck. Maybe she wasn't possessed. Maybe…

"Maybe they were hexed," the teen said. Her eyes glanced between the brother next to her and the brother opposite. They both fell silent. "I know neither of you wanna bring it up, but I don't think any of these kids would've killed themselves unless something else was controlling them. They were hexed, just like I was." No one spoke for a long moment and the Winchester's exchanged meaningful looks.

"Actually, the thought had crossed our minds," Sam said tentatively. "Dean checked the bodies for sigils yesterday. There weren't any." Ali sighed, her hands meeting her forehead as she closed her eyes. She couldn't think properly. Her mind was filled with things that kept distracting her from the current case. Things like Dean's deal. The mysterious woman who'd saved Sam. The knife she'd possessed. The mysterious man who'd saved _her._ She missed Tyler, like always. She missed Bobby. She'd missed three calls from Tim.

"I'm gonna get another soda," she said, sidestepping Dean to get out of the booth, cup in hand. Sam knew full well that she didn't want another soda. Dean knew it too, and Ali knew that they both knew it. They let her go anyway, both of their minds filled with their own anxieties and stresses that they'd also continue to keep to themselves.

* * *

Ali sat by herself in the cafeteria at lunch. She'd spent the day avoiding the glances of most of the students and thoroughly hating high school. She didn't want to be there. She just wanted the case to be over.

"I didn't know your uncle was in the FBI," a voice said from above Ali. She looked up to see Tiffany slapping her tray down opposite her and taking a seat.

"What?" Ali asked, startled by her sudden appearance.

"My dad's a cop," Tiffany explained. "I was at the station dropping him dinner at the weekend when your uncle dropped by." Ali nodded, unsure what she should say next. "You know, a lot of people are talking about what happened on Friday." The teen huffed, growing annoyed at the girl who wouldn't leave her alone. "Some people are even saying that _you_ killed Emily." Ali's eyes snapped up to Tiffany's, her stare accusatory.

"Is that what you think?" she asked challengingly. Tiffany narrowed her eyes back at Ali, scrutinising the new girl in front of her.

"No," she replied simply.

"Then why are you talking to me?" Ali questioned. She refused to believe that a girl like Tiffany would want to hang out with her without some kind of ulterior motive. "Do you just get a kick out of knowing everyone else's business?" Tiffany smirked at the girl before her. Most people she knew didn't have the balls to talk to her like that.

"Yeah, pretty much," she replied. "And I figured if I make friends with you, I'll get to see your uncle again." Tiffany's smirk widened a little as she quirked up a perfect brow. Ali rolled her eyes. She didn't particularly like the idea of Tiffany drooling all over Dean. His ego was already too big. "So, can I eat my lunch with you, or do you want me to go?" Ali thought for a moment. Tiffany wasn't exactly the kind of girl she'd befriend normally, but she seemed nice enough. Maybe she even knew a few school secrets.

"Fine," Ali replied. The blonde girl opposite her smiled, satisfied with herself. The pair ate in silence for a while, both their brains working overdrive to figure the other one out. "So, uh, how long did you know Grace Meyer?" Tiffany paused her fork that was halfway to her mouth as she caught Ali's eye before letting it rest on the side of her tray.

"We were friends for a few years," she replied. "Why?" Ali shook her head.

"I'm the new girl. Just trying to find out a few things," she replied. "Seems like everybody loved her. It's hard to think why she would've jumped off the roof." Tiffany's eyes narrowed for a second before she picked up her fork and finished her mouthful of salad.

"Grace was a nice girl," Tiffany replied. "But she was always too hard on herself. She always wanted to be perfect, and if she wasn't, it would destroy her." Ali nodded.

"And what about Christopher?" she asked. She'd been curious about him ever since she found out he'd been in a relationship with the deceased girl. "He doesn't seem that upset that his girlfriend died." Tiffany sighed, pushing her tray to the side so she could lean her elbows on the table.

"I know," she said. "But he really did care about her. Last year after his mom died, he had a breakdown in our gym class. He was off school for weeks after that." Ali's heart saddened at the news.

"That's horrible." Tiffany nodded in agreement.

"After Grace died, I think everyone was expecting it to happen again, but he refuses to let himself get like that. It's almost like he's put up a wall to keep his emotions in check. He couldn't survive without it." Ali could understand Tiffany's words. She wished she'd been as strong after Tyler had died.

"What about Anna and Luka?" the teen asked, hoping Tiffany would continue to tell her everything she needed to know.

"I barely knew Luka, but he seemed like a nice guy," she replied.

"And Anna?" Ali asked. "Apparently she was about to get excluded."

"All I know is that she missed a lot of classes and the principle was getting involved," Tiffany replied. "I was at her house when the school phoned her parents to say they needed to come in. I left pretty quickly, but her mom was already screaming at her before I got out the front door."

"Were her parents strict?" Ali asked. Tiffany let out a breath of laughter.

"Oh yeah," she replied. "I think her grandfather's a priest or something. They'd barely let her come around to my house, let alone any kind of party. A boyfriend was obviously out of the question. I guess all the rules just pushed her over the edge. As soon as she fell into the wrong crowd, everyone just assumed she was a lost cause."

"Was she seeing anyone?" Ali asked.

"I doubt it," Tiffany replied. "Even after she went off the rails she never really seemed interested in having a boyfriend. It was probably the only one of her parent's rules that she didn't break."

Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of the warning bell. The pair quickly gathered their things before heading out of the lunch hall, Ali's mind swimming with the information she'd just received.

* * *

Ali was exhausted when she arrived back at the motel that afternoon. She and the Winchesters had congregated in Sam and Dean's motel room to talk about the case, but each of them were just as drained as the others.

The seventeen-year-old lay on her back on Dean's bed whilst the elder Winchester sat in front of the TV, mindlessly flicking through the channels, beer in hand. Sam sat at the table, fingers tapping away at the keys of his laptop. The only sound was that of the crappy programme blaring from the small-screened television that no one was really paying attention to.

Four seniors from the same high school had now ended up dead and they needed to find out what was behind it. Even more, they needed to find what linked the four victims together so that they could predict who the next target was going to be.

Ali rolled onto her front, the side of her face pressing into a soft pillow. She really was exhausted, but she didn't let her eyes fall shut in fear of falling asleep. Dean changed the channel again and Ali sat up to see Steve Carell's face filling the screen. She flopped back down, her mind still swimming with the week's events.

"God, imagine being a virgin at forty," Dean mused, taking a sip of his beer and looking over his shoulder towards his brother. "You'd know something about that, right Sammy?" Ali could practically hear Sam roll his eyes in indignation.

"Shut up, Dean." The elder Winchester gave a bark of laughter as he turned off the television and stood from the chair.

"Man, I need to get laid," he muttered to himself as he gulped down the rest of his beer. Ali smiled small, inwardly rolling her eyes. Dean had a tendency to lose focus with his upstairs brain.

Suddenly, the teenager's smile dropped from her lips and she sat up, a thought hitting her like a bus.

"What if they were all virgins?" she blurted out. Sam and Dean's gazes found hers as they both frowned. "Tiffany said she never saw Anna with a boy, and Christopher said he and Grace never had sex."

"Could be," Sam mused, his brows knitted together. "I mean, there's stuff in the lore about virgin sacrifices, and lots of witch spells mention it too." Sam turned back to his computer and began typing on the keyboard.

"Hang on a second," Dean cut in. "Just because Grace never said she had sex with one guy, doesn't mean she didn't with anyone else."

"Doesn't mean she did," Ali retorted. "Not everyone's libido is like yours." Dean smirked a little, seeming pleased with himself. The teen shook her head at him. She hadn't meant it as a compliment. "It's just a suggestion anyways," she said, starting to doubt herself. She'd been wrong about everything else, and she didn't want to feel like anymore blood was on her hands. "We don't know for sure about any of them."

"I'm pretty certain Mr Mathlete wasn't banging anyone in the chemistry closet," Dean replied with a small chuckle. Ali shot him a glare.

"Why? You think because he was smart that no one would want him?" she asked with a raised brow. Dean's eyes widened defensively.

"No, I'm just saying that –."

"You think just because you spoke to his mom once that you're an expert on the guy?" Dean huffed, irritated that the girl before him was trying to make him out as the bad guy.

"Come on, his parents had pictures of him all over the house, the guy was a dork," he replied dismissively.

"And that means he was a virgin?" Ali asked.

"Yeah," Dean replied. Ali raised a brow at him.

"You can tell from just a picture?"

"It's easy," Dean replied. "I'm an expert at reading people." She continued to stare at him expectantly, waiting for him to spill more information. "And Sam was a mathlete in high school. This guy was _definitely_ a virgin." Ali rolled her eyes as she looked over her shoulder to spot the younger Winchester at the desk. His cheeks were flushed with embarrassment. She snorted, shaking her head.

"I'll talk to some people tomorrow at school," she replied, turning back to Dean as she climbed off the bed. "We really need to figure this thing out."

"Might wanna return your boyfriend's calls at some point too," the elder Winchester said. "Bobby rang earlier and said the poor kid thinks you don't like him." A smirk fell on his lips. "Wonder how he got that idea?" Ali huffed, ready to put someone's head through a wall.

"Fine, I'll do it now," she said, fishing her phone from her pocket. "Don't you think it's funny how you and Bobby are the ones encouraging me to talk to a guy? One you've never even met? He could be a real jackass."

"As long as he's just a guy on the phone, I'm cool with it," he replied, causing Ali to laugh. She grabbed her bag and headed for the door, rehearsing in her mind what she was going to say to the boy when he answered.

"Ali." The blonde turned around as she scrolled through her phone for Tim's number. She frowned at Dean who had an awkward but mischievous expression on his face. "You're not…?" he paused, his fingers scratching behind his ear as he rephrased. "I mean, I don't have to worry about you, do I?" Ali frowned at him.

"What do you mean?" Dean chewed on his lip as he turned to Sam for help. The younger Winchester shook his head at him with a pointed look.

"I mean, if whatever's killing the kids is after virgins…" Ali raised a brow at him, crossing her arms over her chest. "I know I'm safe," he said, pointing to himself before gesturing to his brother. "I'm pretty certain Sam is too." Ali could see Sam roll his eyes in her peripherals. "But you…?" Ali smirked at him.

"I thought you said you were an expert at reading people?" she quipped. Dean huffed, growing a little irritated, though really, he was infuriated with not being able to figure out the answer.

"Come on," he coaxed. "We've gotta be mature about this. Now, have you lost your v-card or not?" Ali rolled her eyes as she sighed, casting Sam a side glance as she gestured for Dean to come closer. He leaned in, his eyes gleeful as if he were a teenager about to hear some juicy gossip.

"None of your business," Ali whispered pointedly, leaving Dean with an annoyed expression on his face as she walked away. "I'm going to my room." Sam could see the smirk on her face as she walked away and he chuckled to himself as he and Dean watched her disappear out of the room.

"Do you know?" Dean asked, turning an accusing glance towards his younger brother. Sam shook his head, still amused at Dean's reaction to not getting what he wanted. In general, Ali tended to follow exactly what Dean said, but the girl was growing up. She wasn't going to be a teenager forever and she was learning to think for herself.

"Why would I know?" Sam asked incredulously.

"Don't give me that look, you know what I mean. I'm surprised I've never seen you braiding each other's hair!" Now it was Sam who sent Dean an annoyed look. "She must've told you. You two talk all the time!" Sam rolled his eyes.

"Not about _that_ , Dean," Sam replied. "Despite what you think, I'm actually _not_ a teenage girl." Dean scoffed.

"Could've fooled me," he replied bitterly. Sam shook his head.

"Get some sleep, Dean."

* * *

The girl's locker room didn't smell as bad as the boy's, but it still wasn't a pleasant place to change before gym class. Ali pulled her hair into a pony tail in front of the mirror beside Tiffany who was styling her hair in two French braids.

"Do you know if Grace was a virgin?" Ali felt stupid the moment the words left her lips. Tiffany paused her braiding, her eyes locking with Ali's in the mirror.

"I'm not sure," she replied slowly.

"Christopher would know, right?" she asked.

"I guess," the confused girl replied, quickly finishing up her braid and walking towards the gym. Ali caught up with her, following her closely behind.

"And Anna was too, right?" Ali halted in her tracks as Tiffany spun around. She had a couple of inches on Ali, and from the look on her face, the teen was worried she might slap her.

"At first, I thought you were just curious because you were new," she said quickly, her voice hushed. "But now I'm starting to think you have a kink for dead people." Ali blanched, taking a step back.

"Sorry," she said in defence. Tiffany's shoulder's relaxed as she sighed, her stare softening.

"Could you just stop asking so many questions?" she pleaded. "Talking about my dead friends all day is draining and I'm worried about getting premature frown lines." Ali nodded, suppressing the desire to roll her eyes.

"Okay," she replied. Tiffany gave her a tight smile as they made their way to the gym.

The lacrosse couch had come down with a cold, so rather than having the entire class run laps of the field for an hour, the substitute had brought them inside. Dodgeball was the game, and Ali was grinning before they'd even started.

The stand-in coach chose captains of the teams, and to Ali's relief, she wasn't picked last. Although she didn't have many friends (if any) at the school, it was obvious to any that Ali was athletic and could probably hold her own in most sports. She was a little above average height for a female, and although she was slim, her muscles were defined. She worked out, like she bet any hunter did. If a monster was chasing you, you didn't want to not have enough stamina to have a good chance at getting away.

Ali knew she was fit in that sense. That didn't make her arrogant. She'd never thought of herself as particularly attractive, but her body did what it needed for her to be able to defend itself against attacks from the supernatural.

Halfway through the first game, it was clear that the boys were the competitive ones. Tiffany was already out, but Ali had managed to dodge all the throws that headed her way and even managed to get three of the opposing team out. Hitting moving targets was something she did on a regular basis. This was child's play.

"Allison," someone called from beside her. She turned to see Christopher catch a ball before throwing it back at the opposing team.

"Hey," she said, moving closer to him whilst keeping an eye on the game. "I really need to talk to you, it's important." The boy frowned, dodging a ball as it flew passed his head.

"What's up?" he asked, concern lacing his voice. Ali cast her eyes around the gym at the other pupils.

"Not here," she murmured. "I'll catch you later." The substitute coach blew her whistle, signalling for everyone to grab a drink. Ali jogged over to where Tiffany was sitting on a bench and grabbed her water bottle from the floor. Someone wolf whistled behind her. She straightened up.

Ali recognised the boy before her. She'd seen him around in the corridors and in the cafeteria. He was fairly built, and fairly attractive in an arrogant sort of way. As she turned fully to face him, his eyes shamelessly raked over her body, a smirk on his face. Ali gritted her teeth together. She hated him already.

"I'm Justin," he greeted. Two of his mates stood behind him. The one to the right was whispering something to the left one, both their eyes unmoving from Ali's cleavage. She wished she'd worn a different top. "You're new, right?" The blonde girl rolled her eyes.

"Yeah," she replied. Justin stared at her a moment longer, his eyes predatory before his vision focused on someone behind her.

"How're you doing, Tiffany?" he asked. Ali heard a small breath release from the girl sat on the bench.

"Fine," Tiffany replied, her voice lacking its usual oomph. The coach blew the whistle again and Justin tipped his head before heading back to play. Ali turned around, taking a sip of her water before her eyes locked with Tiffany's.

"Who was that?" Ali asked. Tiffany sighed.

"The biggest mistake I ever made," she huffed as she stood and walked back to the game. Ali watched her go for a minute. Justin had slowed his pace to walk next to her, his hand meeting the small of her back. Tiffany slapped it away, stalking off to her position to start. Now Ali _really_ hated him.

The whistle blew once again and the game was set into motion. One of Justin's friends immediately received a blow to his leg, meaning he was out straight away. Ali dodged a ball thrown by the opposite team before catching another and throwing it back. It didn't take long for Tiffany to be out, a ball thrown by Justin catching her on her thigh. Ali retrieved the ball quickly and threw it back at him. It brushed his left shoulder, but otherwise did no damage.

"Bellow the waste please, Miss Williams," the coach called. Ali rolled her eyes, believing the rule to be ridiculous. Headshots counted in real life, why not in a game of dodgeball? Justin continued to stare at Ali as he played, making her extremely uncomfortable. She tried to ignore him, but his gaze split a hole right through her.

"Ignore him, he's an ass," Christopher said as he dodged a ball and stood next to her. Ali shot him a grateful look before retrieving a stray ball from the floor and launching it across the room at another player. It hit the girl on the side of the head and Ali muttered a quick apology under her breath.

"Miss Williams!" the coach yelled. "I won't ask again." Ali huffed, growing annoyed at the constant berating.

"Yeah, keep it PG, Williams," Justin cackled from across the room. Ali tried to ignore him, but his constant teasing and leering looks were getting under her skin. If they were in any other setting, she would've kneed him in the crotch already.

"He's not worth it, trust me," Christopher said, as if reading Ali's mind. She tried to relax a little as she sent him a smile, pushing her negative thoughts to the back of her mind. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Justin preparing to make a throw. He released the ball from his hand, the thing spinning as it came towards them. Ali snapped out her hand, catching the ball before it could slam into Christopher's nose.

"Woah," he said as he took a step back in surprise. "Nice catch." Ali smiled, sending Christopher a smirk as she heard Justin curse under his breath.

"Thanks," she replied.

" _New girl's good_ ," Ali heard one of Justin's mates say as he joined them at the side lines.

" _Kind of a bitch, don't you think_?" Justin replied. Ali's fingers held onto the ball she was holding as she dodged the other's being hurled at her. It was difficult with the distraction and she flushed red with irritation. " _I'd still bang her though. Bet she's got a nice ass under that attitude."_ Ali snapped, turning towards the row of teenagers and hurtling the ball in Justin's direction. It hit the unexpecting jackass square in the nuts and he cowered over in pain. _Bullseye._

"Miss Williams?" the exasperate substitute called over the rest of the class who'd erupted into laughter as the injured boy groaned profanity under his breath. "Please leave the gym." Ali didn't hesitate as she stalked back to the locker room, avoiding the stairs of her peers. She was done with them all.

"What the hell was that?" she heard Tiffany ask from behind her. She'd heard her footsteps follow her out of the gym. Ali could hear the smile in her voice.

"I have good aim," Ali said nonchalantly.

" _Brilliant_ aim," Tiffany replied, still giggling. Ali rolled her eyes as she pulled her locker open to grab her clothes. As she did, her Colt 28 Super fell from when it was wrapped up in her jacket and bounced on the floor. Tiffany gasped.

"Shit," Ali cursed under her breath.

"You have a gun in your locker," Tiffany said slowly. Ali turned around to see that the other girl had taken several steps back. Her eyes were locked on the firearm. "Why do you have a gun in your locker?" Ali sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. She was in deep crap now, especially if Tiffany told anyone. Especially if Tiffany told her father.

"I'm not who you think I am, okay?" Ali said, trying to think of a way out. "But I'm here to help, I swear."

"Who the hell are you?" she questioned, taking another step towards the door. Ali bent down and tentatively picked up the gun with two fingers, showing a tense Tiffany that she wasn't going to use it. She quickly slipped it into the back of her gym shorts.

"My name really is Allison, but Dean isn't my uncle," Ali replied. Tiffany still looked afraid, but seemed to think Ali was telling the truth.

"Who is he?" she asked. Ali bit her lip.

"I guess you could say we work together," she replied. "Kinda like detectives."

"So, you work for the F.B.I too?" Tiffany asked.

"No," Ali said. "Neither does Dean." The girl before her looked ready to leave, but Ali couldn't let that happen. Not until she was sure that Tiffany would keep her mouth shut. "We work with his brother on the cases that the police don't understand. I can't tell you any more than that."

"But all the deaths…" Tiffany began. "They were all suicides." Ali shook her head.

"We're not sure that there were," she replied. "There's something going on in this school. Something bad. We're just trying to figure out who's behind it so we can stop them."

"And that's why you've been asking all these questions?" Tiffany asked. Ali took a breath.

"Yes," she replied. "And I need more answers." The girl looked reluctant and Ali took a step towards her. "Please, it's important. I need to know everything." Tiffany was quiet for a long time. Then, finally, she took a deep breath, and nodded.

"Okay."

* * *

The Impala pulled up in the parking lot and Ali pulled the passenger door open, sliding into the seat next to Dean.

"It's not virgins," she said, letting her head fall against the door. She was exhausted.

"Why are you so sure?" Dean asked, a frown on his face as he pulled out of the layby.

"Because Tiffany's pretty certain that Emily was sleeping with Mr Clark," Ali sighed. Dean's brows raised.

"The Biology teacher?" he clarified. Ali nodded her head. "Which one's Tiffany again?" Before she could answer, Dean braked suddenly, and Ali almost slid off her seat. Out of the front wind shield was a blonde girl, her hands pressed to the bonnet as she stared at them.

 _"_ _That's_ Tiffany," Ali said in shock. She walked round to the side of the Impala and pulled open the back door, sliding in and resting her elbows on the front bench.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Dean asked, clearly annoyed. "Get out."

"No," Tiffany replied defiantly, though Ali could hear a hint of fear in her voice.

"Tiffany, get out of the car," Ali told her. She shook her head.

"No, I'm not leaving," she replied. "I wanna help." Dean rolled his eyes.

"Look, sweetheart –."

"Whoever's behind this killed four of my classmates," she reminded the pair. "I'm coming with you." Ali bit her lip, her eyes glancing between Tiffany and Dean. She held the elder Winchester's gaze a moment, a pleading look in her eyes. Dean sighed.

"You owe me a beer," he huffed gruffly as he pulled out of the parking lot.

* * *

Ali and Tiffany sat opposite Sam on the bed next to him whilst Dean paced around the room.

"Are you sure?" Sam asked. Tiffany shrugged.

"I think so," she replied. "I mean, I saw them making out in the lab once. I confronted Emily about it and she said it was true." Ali huffed, shaking her head as anger erupted inside her.

"Son of a bitch," she muttered under her breath. "Even if he's not behind the deaths, I'm still gonna kill him." Sam sighed.

"That's not our job," the younger Winchester reminded her.

"He's married," Ali shot back. Sam shrugged. "He's a teacher!"

"Emily was eighteen," Dean cut in, sending Ali a pointed look. Her jaw tightened.

"She's dead."

The room fell silent and Ali stood, making her way to the bathroom and splashing water on her face. She needed to calm herself down, but the events of the last few days were making her cranky.

"Maybe Emily really did kill herself," Tiffany was saying when Ali re-entered the room. "I know she felt guilty about the whole thing and it can't've been easy having to face the man's wife three times a week."

"What do you mean?" Sam asked, a frown on his face.

"Miss Lee?" Tiffany said. "She kept her name at school the same after they married." Ali's heart began to race as realisation hit her.

"The guidance counsellor?" she asked. Tiffany nodded. Sam rushed over to his pile of papers and began riffling through them.

"I don't know how we missed it," he muttered when he discovered the one he was looking for. "All four of them were seeing her on a regular basis before they died."

"Oh my God," Tiffany exclaimed, fear filling her voice. Ali turned to her expectantly. "Christopher has an appointment with her now." The teen's muscles tightened as she grabbed her gun from the nightstand and checked that it was loaded.

"We've gotta get back to the school."

* * *

It was as if an explosion went off when Dean broke down the door to the counsellor's office. A bright light filled the room as the windows erupted into tiny shards of glass, and Dean was thrown back, collapsing to the floor beside Ali. Sam and Tiffany had gone to locate Mr Clark, hoping he might be able to tell them more information.

The blonde teen brushed herself off as she marched into the office, catching sight of Miss Lee who had a needle stuck in Christopher's neck. He looked completely out of it, and Ali suspected that the murderous guidance counsellor must've put him in some kind of trance. She held her gun up at the woman before her.

"Let him go," she demanded. Miss Lee removed the needle from his neck and Ali could see that she'd already extracted some of his blood. Behind her, she could hear Dean groaning as he clambered to his feet.

"I thought there was something off about you when you came to see me last week," Miss Lee said.

"Could say the same about you," Ali shot back. "Are you a real witch?" Miss Lee smiled devilishly.

"No, I've just picked up a few things." She raised her hand and with a flick of her wrist, Ali's gun was out of her hands and across the room.

"Using black magic to kill teenagers? That's pretty dark, don't you think?" Ali commented. "Why'd you do it?"

"Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned," she replied dangerously. Ali shook her head.

"Emily was just a kid," she replied.

"She knew exactly what she was doing," Miss Lee spat. "And she had the nerve to sit here in front of me and ask for my help!" Ali's teeth gritted together.

"And what about the others? What did they do to deserve it?" she asked disbelievingly.

"They all had their secrets," Miss Lee said. "They all came to me with their problems, but they all only had themselves to blame. Anna was a smart kid, but she blew it when she started taking drugs. She was never going to be successful in this life."

"You don't know that," Ali told her. "She just needed some help." The woman cackled.

"That's what Luka said. Everyone thought he was all brains and nothing else, but only I knew that he'd been cheating on his midterms for the last three years." Ali's teeth gritted together, completely disgusted by the monster in front of her.

"And what about Grace?" she asked. Miss Lee shook her head.

"She was the brightest girl I ever met," she replied. "Until she started dating this _boy_." The counsellor pointed an accusing finger at Christopher who still appeared to be in a trance-like state. "The stupid girl was planning on turning down her place at Princeton so she could go to the same college as her boyfriend."

"So, you killed her?" Ali asked incredulously.

"I stopped her from throwing away her life! I stopped her from being a disappointment!" The teen took a step away as she stared at the deranged woman.

"You're insane," she said, backing further away. She felt Dean emerge behind her, cursing when his gun was pulled out of his hands by an invisible force. Miss Lee sent another explosion in their direction and the pair flew backwards, smacking against the wall and crumpling to the ground.

"Call Sam," Ali begged Dean as her vision blurred. The elder Winchester nodded, wiping away the blood from his forehead. Miss Lee was by her table as she squeezed the syringe of Christopher's blood onto her hands. She muttered a few words under her breath and suddenly, Christopher was on his feet, Ali's gun in his hand.

"No!" Ali yelled as he held the gun to his head. She pushed herself off of the floor and wrestled the gun out of his hand. It went off, but luckily, the bullet only pierced the wall. Ali slapped the boy's face and his eyes flickered open. He seemed disorientated like he had no idea where he was or how he got there. "Get out of here," she instructed him, pushing him towards the door.

Dean was on his feet too, and suddenly, Sam appeared at the doorway. His gun was gone soon too and both the Winchester's were thrown across the room once again. Ali yelled, lunging across the office at Miss Lee. The teen was clearly the superior fighter, but the woman knew all kinds of spells that would help her. As Ali pushed her over, she felt the sharp scratch of a needle in her arm before she jerked away. Miss Lee watched her carefully as she squeezed her blood out onto her hand and muttered the same words she had moments earlier.

Ali's vision blurred as her muscles took over. She bent down and grabbed her silver knife from her boot, holding the blade close to her chest. Her mind was telling her to stop, but her body wouldn't listen. It was like she was in a daze, possessed by external forces that she couldn't control. Her hands tightened around the blade as she pushed it closer to her chest, but her mind continued to fight, willing herself not to do it.

"Ali no!" she heard someone shout. Sam or Dean. Her mind was too focused to be able to tell which it was. She gritted her teeth together as she forced her hands away from her body, and just when she thought she wasn't strong enough to overcome it, there was a pop, and the knife fell from her hands.

Ali sagged, fully exhausted from trying to fight. Dean caught her before she fell, and she regained her balance.

"You alright?" he asked worriedly, his eyes skimming over her for signs of damage. She straightened up, her heard still racing as she nodded at him. Her eyes glanced to Miss Lee who was laying across her desk, her dead eyes wide with shock as blood dribbled from the gaping bullet wound in her head. Ali looked to the door just as Sam tentatively pulled the pistol out of Mr Clark's hands. The Biology teacher had tears in his haunted eyes. Even with the mistakes he's made, Ali couldn't help but feel bad for the man who'd just shot his wife.

She made for the door, but Dean caught her arm.

"Your two friends are outside," he told her. "Why don't you make sure they get home." Ali nodded, leaving the office to find Christopher and Tiffany in the corridor. The girl's cheeks were stained with tears as she clung to the boy. His eyes were wide with horror as they both sat on the floor, but they both seemed to relax when they spotted Ali.

"You two gonna be okay?" she asked as she stared down at them. Christopher looked up before climbing to his feet, dragging Tiffany along with him. His arm didn't leave her waste as he comforted her.

"Thanks to you," he said with a small smile. Ali nodded back at him.

"You need a lift?" Christopher shook his head.

"That's okay," he replied. "I've got my car, I'll drive her home." The teen smiled at the boy, then glanced at the girl who was still in tears. Ali had never seen her like this, but she somehow knew she'd be okay. It was all over now. She said goodbye and watched as they walked down the corridor together, arm in arm. At one point, she noticed Tiffany's hand squeezed Christopher's shoulder affectionately and his head turned to press his lips to her hair. Ali smiled at the pair, a bitter sweet feeling filling her to the brim.

* * *

It took a few days to clean up the case at the high school, but Ali let the Winchester's handle most of it. Ali sat in Sam and Dean's motel room as she waited for them to return, her body positioned on the floor between the two beds as she read.

"What are you doing?" Ali jumped at the sound of Sam's voice above her. She quickly snapped shut the book in her arms and looked up at him.

"Nothing," she replied. Sam snorted at her attempt to cover up what she was doing.

"Is that a math book?" he asked, catching sight of the cover, a confused expression on his face. "Where'd you get it?" Ali bit her lip, though she could see in Sam's expression that he already knew _exactly_ where she'd got it.

"Didn't think they'd miss one textbook," Ali replied innocently. "Figured they owed us for taking out their psychotic guidance counsellor anyways." Sam chuckled, his lips curving up in a smile.

"Okay, well, uh… I'll leave you to your reading," he replied, moving over to take a seat at the table to clear up his things. He wanted to get ahead on some more research for Dean. He felt like it'd been a while since he did any.

"Sam?" a soft voice asked from across the room. "Can I ask you something?"

"Go ahead," he said, his eyes focussed on his screen as he logged into his laptop. Ali stood a few metres from where Sam was sitting, an apprehensive expression on her face.

"I uh…" she muttered, unable to get the words out. Sam frowned, his gaze moving from the screen to the girl.

"What is it?" His eyes were kind and concerned. Ali was afraid to ask, but more afraid that he'd say no.

"Never mind, it's stupid," she replied dismissively, turning away.

"Hey, come one," Sam pushed, now more interested in what was bothering the teen than his computer. "What is it?" Ali sighed.

"I couldn't keep up with those other kids at the school," she said, a little embarrassed at herself. "I felt like the dumbest person in the room and I hated it."

"Okay…" Sam said slowly. "What does this have to do with me." Ali took a deep breath.

"Well, I know you went to Stanford and you seemed like a pretty good teacher." There was a long paused as Sam stared at the seventeen-year-old in front of him. She was avoiding his gaze.

"You want me to tutor you?" Sam asked incredulously. Ali's jaw tightened, her cheeks flushing at the ridiculousness of her request.

"You're right, you don't have time for this," she said quickly. "Forget I asked."

"No, it's not that," Sam clarified, a breath of laughter escaping his lips. "I'm just… surprised."

"Because I'm stupid?" Ali asked quietly. The younger Winchester shook his head quickly.

"No, not at all, I just… I uh –." The girl stared at him expectantly. "You know what? If you want me to teach you math, I'll teach you math."

"Are you sure?" Ali asked apprehensively. Sam nodded. "Okay, well, I know you're really busy so just let me know when you've got time."

Sam closed his laptop.

"I've got time now?" he proposed. Ali shrugged, a small smile pulling at her lips.

"Seriously?" she asked. Sam nodded with a chuckle, moving a few of his things on the table and gesturing for her to some a sit down. Ali made her way across the room, lugging the heavy book in her arms.

"I guess we should start with the basics," Sam suggested, opening the textbook to the page he was looking for. "Algebra one." Ali bit her lip as she stared at the page, her brow furrowing in fear. Sam shook his head, a little amused. "It's okay," he assured her. "It'll be hard at the beginning, but you'll get the hang of it. It's easy when you know how." Ali nodded, a determined look on her face.

"Okay," she replied.

"Why don't you read through the example and then we'll talk about it," Sam said. He watched as her eyes focused on the text and she read the page before her intently. As she did, a small smile tugged at his lips, and Sam couldn't help the warm feeling that settled in his heart.

* * *

 **AN: Hope you enjoyed this little 2-parter.**

 **Check out my 3 part story called _Red As A Rose_ if you want.**

 **Let me know what you thought, much love x**


	27. Chapter 27 - Bad Day At Black Rock

The frustrated girl's fist closed around the paper as she ripped it from the pad, scrunching it up with all the force she could muster before tossing it to the floor of the Impala where it joined several others. Eleven to be precise – each with the same simultaneous equations scrawled at the top. Each a failed attempt at solving it. Each just more fuel for the fire that burned red hot inside Allison Venator.

 _"_ _I mean, the second you find out this Ruby chick is a demon you go for the Holy water, you don't chat!"_

Ali could hear Dean scolding Sam from the driver's seat, but she wasn't paying either of them much attention. They'd been at it ever since Sam let on that he'd seen his blonde saviour again, not leaving out the details about her black eyes. Ali had other things on her mind. She wondered if maybe the strange man she hadn't told anyone about that kept showing up was also a demon. The thought made a cold feeling run down her spine, like ice was melting down her back, chilling her skin.

Sam and Dean's voices drowned out into background noise, that was, until the sound of a cell phone ringing filled the car. Ali instinctively reached for her own cell, but she didn't have an incoming call.

"It's not mine," Sam said as Ali leaned over the front bench, her eyes scanning the Impala for the source of the ringing.

"Me neither," Dean said next. "Check the glove compartment, it's Dad's." Sam frowned, shooting Dean a questioning look. "I keep it charged up in case any of his old contacts call," he explained.

Ali sighed, sitting back in her seat as Sam answered the call. She began copying out the equations once again to try and solve them, but the numbers and brackets just didn't make sense in her head. Monsters and demons, she could handle, but a bit of simple algebra could floor her.

Once Sam had hung up and the call was over, Ali's attention fell to the front seat. "Dad ever tell you he kept a container at a storage place?" Sam was asking Dean. The elder Winchester glanced across at his brother, the confusion on their faces matched equally. "Outside of Buffalo?" Dean shook his head.

"No way."

"Yeah," Sam assured his brother. "And someone just broke into it."

* * *

The storage container was dark, but the beam of light radiating from Ali's flashlight revealed that it was filled to the brim with every weapon or book she could think of to do with the supernatural, and then some.

"Oh wow, it's my first sawed-off. I made it myself." Sam and Ali continued to survey the container as Dean gushed over the gun. There was a lot of stuff still here, valuable stuff. From the boot tracks they left, the three had been able to determine that two people had broken into the storage unit. It was clear they knew exactly what they were looking for, but the question was, what was it?

"Ali." Sam's voice cut through the cold air. The girl in question glanced over her shoulder to see what he wanted. He caught her eyes briefly before nodding towards his flashlight. "Check this out." Ali followed the beam of light, her eyes narrowing at what she saw.

A large cardboard box sat on a shelf, a name scrawled across the front.

 _Venator._

Ali moved closer, her fingers brushing across the black writing. She could feel Sam behind her, but she didn't hesitate the pull the box from the shelf and take a look inside. It was covered in years of dust, and it was clear that whatever was inside, John Winchester had kept his distance.

The teenager recognised most of it, the sight of the objects and trinkets propelling her back to her childhood. She remembered seeing a few of them on the mantlepiece in the home she shared with her family. She remembered seeing many in a room her father wouldn't let her enter very often.

"What is all this?" Sam asked as he leant over the box, his fingers curling around an object he didn't recognise before he pulled it out curiously.

"It's all from my house," Ali replied. "John must've saved this stuff after my parents died. Tyler and I had no idea any of it still existed." She wasn't bitter about it. The feeling that ran through her was warm, like John Winchester had given her back a piece of her life she didn't think she'd see again.

"Do you know what this is for?" Sam asked as he held the object out to her. Ali eyed the thin, golden key. It was incredibly ornate and intricate. The blonde girl remembered the day her father had shown it to her when he'd returned from a hunt in Europe.

"I think its call a Portunus Key," she replied, taking the key from Sam's palm and examining it closer. "There's only supposed to be like three in existence," she explained. "Apparently it can open any door."

"Can it?" Sam asked. Ali thought for a moment before shaking her head and handing it back it the younger Winchester.

"Think this one's lost its mojo," she replied, chuckling a little under her breath. "My dad caught Tyler trying to use it to open the liquor cabinet once." Sam smiled, placing the key back inside the box. They rummaged further into the box and they pulled out different supernatural objects, each with a unique story behind how Ali's family came across them.

Sam spotted a small wooden box hidden at the bottom, symbols carefully carved in the side. He reached for it, but just when his fingers brushed the latch, Ali's caught his wrist, her eyes wide.

"Don't open that," she said calmly, though there was a hint of fear in her voice. Sam caught her eye.

"What's inside?" Ali clenched her jaw but released her grip on Sam's arm.

"Nothing good."

The pair heard footsteps behind them and placed the objects carefully back inside the box. Dean appeared behind them, his eyes scanning the contents of the box with equal curiosity. Ali stood, her eyes roaming the rest of the shelf for anything else she recognised. Next to where the box was placed was a drawer, her surname also scrawled across the front. Ali pulled on the handle, albeit a little too hard, and the drawer came crashing to the floor, spilling out its contents.

At least thirty almost identical blades clattered out of the drawer at Ali's feet. She stared at them in awe, instantly recognising them. She had one just like it. They were all ornate silver blades, each exactly the same apart from the initials and date carved into the bottom. Ali pulled her brother's blade from her boot and examined it next to one of the others. It was the same.

"Woah," she heard Dean say from behind her, his attention now on the silverware on the ground. "Are they what I think they are?" Ali didn't answer him as she dropped to her knees and began to examine each one meticulously. Sam stood beside Dean and was staring at the scene in as much shock as his elder brother.

"He must've got them from your house after your parents died," Sam mused. "Why would he keep them all?" Ali didn't reply as she continued to rifle through the silver.

"Here, look at this," she said, holding up one of the blades in the light. Sam took it, twisting the blade so he could read the engravings.

"E.V." he read.

"My father," Ali filled in. She held in in her hand a moment before placing it back in the drawer, along with the rest. Her eyes were tearing, but she pushed them away, forcing herself to keep it together. "Did you find out what they took?" she asked Dean as she stood to face the brothers. Dean sighed, shining his flashlight on an opposite shelf.

"I found this." A dozen or so wooden boxes stood on the shelf, each with similar symbols carved in the side just like the one Sam had discovered in the cardboard box.

"It's binding magic," Ali said as she surveyed the shelf. "They're curse boxes."

"Curse boxes? They're supposed to keep the evil mojo in right," Dean clarified. "Kinda like the Pandora deal?"

"Yeah," Sam agreed. "They're built to contain the power of the cursed object." Ali examined the shelf, spotting a patch where there was no dust.

"One box is missing," she pointed out. Dean sighed.

"Great," he replied sarcastically. "Well maybe they didn't open it." Ali ran a hand through her tangled mess of hair. It never did it any good when she tried to sleep in the backseat of the Impala.

"And what if they did?" she asked worriedly.

"We need to find them," Sam said urgently. Ali and Dean agreed and they turned from the shelf, ready to leave.

"Grab the box, Ali," Dean instructed. Ali shot him an incredulous look.

"You're letting me take stuff out of your dad's storage unit?" she asked. Dean shot her a small grin.

"It's got your name on it, right?"

* * *

Tracking down the pair of thieves wasn't too difficult. It wasn't long before Sam and Dean were bursting into the culprits' apartment. Ali waited outside the room as the Winchesters confronted them, guns loaded and ready.

"Alright, give us the box," Ali heard Dean say as she pressed her back to the wall, her eyes trained on the open door. "And please tell me that you didn't…"

"Oh they did." That was Sam. Ali rolled her eyes at the pair of thieves. _Idiots_. Whoever they were, they clearly didn't have much experience with the supernatural.

"You opened it?" Dean yelled incredulously before the room seemed to dissolve into chaos. Ali stayed outside like Dean had told her, listening to the shouts and crashes coming from within the room. She kept her position, her fingers curled around the weapon Bobby had given her until she heard a worried Dean yell "Sam!".

Ali burst through the door just in time to see a man she didn't recognize stumble back and fall over a couch, knocking himself out before the other was buried by a pile of falling books. Ali stared at the scene, a disbelieving look on her face as she looked between the bewildered Winchesters.

"What the hell just happened?" she asked, surveying the room, her eyes narrowing on an object in the younger Winchester's hand.

"Lucky break," Dean said, seeming just as confused at Ali. "Is that a rabbit's foot?" The elder Winchester scrutinized the thing in his brother's hand has he held it up.

"I think it is," Sam said as Ali rolled her eyes at the pair.

"Perfect," she muttered under her breath before turning to leave. "Let's get out of here."

* * *

The sun was hot. The teen watched its reflection as it glinted off the Impala's shiny surface. Sam was on the phone to Bobby, and Dean was doing what he usually did – make the most of the situation they found themselves in. Since Sam was seemingly the luckiest man alive at the time being, this meant Dean was buying all the scratch cards he could get his hands on.

"Ali." The blonde girl turned towards the sound of her name to see that Sam was handing the phone over to her. He smiled at her a little, and Ali returned it apprehensively.

"Bobby," she greeted as the mobile met her ear.

" _Hey kiddo_ ," came the familiar voice down the line. They hadn't spoken in a while, and Ali missed the man who had practically raised her.

"What's the situation?" she asked, focusing on the job they needed to do. "How do we help Sam?"

" _I don't know just yet,_ " Bobby replied. " _But I can make some calls_." There was a pause as Ali listened, knowing Bobby had more to say. " _You doing alright?_ "

"I'm fine, Bobby," Ali said. It was only half a lie. The man sighed. "I should go, we've all got work to do."

" _You're right about that_ ," Bobby huffed, and although Ali could hear irritation in his voice at the extra work now facing him, she new he was concerned about Sam and wouldn't stop until he'd found a solution to their predicament. " _Be careful kiddo_ ," he warned. " _And for God's sakes don't lose that damn rabbit's foot!_ " Ali hung up, turning towards a euphoric Dean.

"We're up fifteen grand!" Ali rolled her eyes and headed towards the diner, Sam following sullenly behind her. The younger Winchester clearly wasn't as happy as his brother about their situation. Dean caught up and slapped Sam's shoulder reassuringly.

"Don't worry," he told him. "Bobby will find a way to break it. Until then I say we hit Vegas, pull a little Rain Man. You can be Rain Man."

"Look, can we just lay low until Bobby calls back?" Sam asked, concerned for his own wellbeing. Dean agreed begrudgingly as they entered the diner. "Hi, table for three please," Sam asked the owner.

Suddenly an alarm went off and balloons and streamers seemed to fall from the ceiling.

"Congratulations!" the owner said, a large smile across her face. "You are the one millionth guest of the Biggerson's Restaurant family!" Ali looked to Sam accusingly while his cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

"I think we've had enough good luck for one day," she huffed as she grabbed a menu and pushed past the chaos to find a table herself.

* * *

Ali's burger lay half eaten on her plate. She rarely had an appetite these days, and the Winchester bothers had stopped quizzing her about it. When she had food left on her plate (which she nearly always did) Dean would simply ask if she was finished before proceeding to scoff down her meal in addition to his own. Sometimes he wouldn't ask. He knew she wouldn't mind.

"Bobby's right," Sam said from behind this laptop. "This lore goes way back. Pure Hoodoo. You can't just cut one off any rabbit. It has to be in a cemetery, under a full moon, on a Friday the thirteenth."

"How often do those come around?" Ali quipped.

"Can I freshen you up?" a new voice came as a waitress approached the table, her gaze fixed on Sam. Ali shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

"Yeah, sure. Thanks," Sam replied as the waitress filled his coffee cup, so focussed on Sam that she spilt some.

"Oh!" she shrieked apologetically. "Let me mop that up."

"No, no don't worry," Sam flailed, wiping at his trousers with a napkin. "It's okay really, I got it."

"It's no trouble, really," she insisted as began cleaning up the coffee that had pooled on the table, her eyes darting to Sam flirtatiously. Ali scowled at her as she worked, taking another bite of her burger to hide her disapproving looks.

"Sorry about that," the waitress said as she finished, walking away and sending Sam a smile over her shoulder. The Winchesters watched her go, their eyes wide.

"Dude. If you were ever gonna get lucky…" Dean started, before being silenced by a hard kick from the girl across the table, accompanied by a harsh glare. Sam simply rolled his eye before taking a sip of his coffee, somehow managing to spill it again all over the table and himself. Ali watched, bewildered, as he jumped up, colliding with a waiter's tray and sending the food flying across the room.

"How was that good?" Dean asked, wondering why Sam's lucky streak had ended so abruptly. Sam patted down his jacket before stuffing his hands into his pockets.

"The rabbit's foot is gone!" he said, and Ali clenched her fists together. The inevitable had happened – but how? Ali turned to Dean and caught his eye, realisation hitting both of them at the same time.

The waitress.

"That bitch," Ali remarked, pushing Dean out of the booth and dragging Sam behind her.

* * *

Ali sat on the motel room bed, waiting for Sam and Dean to return. Usually she would've been annoyed to be stuck in the room on her own, but honestly, she was thankful for the alone time.

Her phone sat anxiously in her hand. She had two missed calls for Tim, and a bunch of messages she hadn't replied to in weeks. It was unfair on him. Tim wasn't a bad guy, but Ali couldn't face talking to him in that moment. She scrolled down to the last message she'd received, reading it over again.

 _I called in yesterday but you weren't in. Bobby said he wasn't sure when you'd be back in Sioux falls. Would be great to see you when you get home – T xx_

Ali stared at the two kisses. He hadn't sent those before. It was no secret that Tim _liked_ Ali, but this somehow felt like they'd moved to a new stage of their relationship before she'd realised they were in one. She sighed, realising that the young man's affections weren't going to go away if she just kept ignoring him. She typed a quick message, shutting off her phone in case he replied straight away.

 _I'll let you know when I'm back – A_

The blonde girl got off the bed and walked to the window. It was already dark, but she could make out a row of cars in the parking lot, illuminated by the street lights. A motorbike was parked on the end, and Ali frowned. She thought she recognised it, but how could that be? Her blood ran cold at the thought of the hooded man spying on her while Sam and Dean were not around. She watched the bike closely through the window as she grabbed her phone, snapping an image of it for future reference. She'd only gotten a glimpse of it at the school, but she was now sure it was the same one.

He was here.

She grabbed the gun Bobby had given her, checked it was loaded, and snuck out of the door, her back pressed against the corridor walls.

Ali made it to the front of the motel quickly, looking out for the bike. This was her chance. Although she was terrified, she had to know who the man was who'd practically been stalking her for the past couple of months. She'd wait by the bike until he showed, and then she'd confront him. She stood from her crouched position behind a parked truck and dashed out across the lot, blinding headlights meeting her eyes as a car screeched to a halt. Ali gasped, shock more than anything knocking her off her feet and landing her on the damp tarmac. She recovered quickly, standing and brushing herself off.

"Ali?" The girl looked in the direction of her name, spotting Sam's head poking out of the impala windows. She sighed as Dean turned off the engine and they both got out.

"What the hell, Ali? You trying to get yourself killed?" Dean berated, his voice harsh and relieved at the same time.

"Sorry," she replied, looking around the parking lot frantically.

"Why're you out here anyways?" Dean asked, eyebrows raised.

"I uh…" Ali started, spotting an empty space where the motorbike once was. "It doesn't matter," she said quickly. Dean didn't seem satisfied with her answer. She changed the subject quickly. "Did you find out who that woman was?"

"'Name's Bela, according to Bobby," Dean told her. "Bela Talbot. Lives in Queens apparently. Should take me about two hours to get there?"

"You?" Ali asked with a raised brow. "Just you?"

"Yeah," Dean said, looking over his shoulder to where Sam was getting out of the car. He slammed the door, his jacket getting caught. As he tried to pull it free, it suddenly ripped, causing Sam to slip and fall to the ground. Dean shook his head. "Mr Bump needs a baby sitter." Ali couldn't help but agree.

"Did Bobby find a way to destroy the rabbit's foot?" she asked. Dean nodded.

"Wasn't easy, but he found a heavyweight cleansing ritual that should do the trick," he replied.

"Was he mad that Sam lost the foot?" Ali asked. Dean shot her a look.

"You know Bobby," he remarked. Ali chuckled dryly. "Right, we better get Sam inside safely before he loses his other shoe." The girl frowned, but didn't ask. Ali's mind was on other things.

* * *

"Hey!" Ali barked as Sam rocked back in his chair, the front legs lifting off the floor. "Do you want a broken neck?" Ali placed her hands firmly either side of Sam and pushed the chair back down, all four legs back on the floor. Sam shot her a sheepish look and Ali sighed, sitting back on the bed opposite him.

"Sorry, I'm just bored," he said. Ali leant forward again, her elbows resting on her knees as she picked at her fingers nervously. "You okay?"

"What? Oh yeah, I'm fine," she replied, her thoughts encompassing her. Sam raised a questioning brow at her. She met his eyes, her bottom lip between her teeth. "Can I ask you something?"

"Its not a math question, is it?" Sam asked. Ali smiled.

"No," she replied softly. "It's about Ruby." Sam inhaled an anxious breath.

"What do you want to know?" he asked. Ali pondered her question, the words echoing around inside her head.

"Do you think…" she paused. "Do you think she's working alone?" Sam stared back at her and all Ali could picture was a dark looming figure on a motor bike, black eyes staring back at her. She shuddered.

"I think so, yeah," Sam replied. "Why?" Ali didn't have time to answer him. Something in the walls began making an awful clanking noise, before smoke started pouring out of the AC unit.

"Oh, come on," Sam said despairingly. Ali shot him an accusing look. "I didn't – I – I wasn't…" Ali sighed and the younger Winchester stood, making his way towards the AC unit.

"I wouldn't do that, Sam," Ali said, her gaze watching him as he got closer to the source of the smoke. Suddenly, it erupted in flames, and Sam jumped back. "Sam!" Ali yelled, grabbing a pillow and pushing him out of the way so she could put it out. Relieved when she saw that the fire was gone, Ali turned around, only to see bright orange flames coming from Sam's sleeve. "Sam, you're on fire!" she yelled at him. The younger Winchester started to panic as he tried to pat out the flames, before grabbing the drapes and pulling at them with all his strength. They ripped, and Sam used the fabric the put out the fire. Just when Ali thought they'd had a lucky escape, Sam stepped back, tripping on the charred pillow and smacking his head on the chair leg. He fell to the ground, out cold. Ali stared at him disbelievingly before her blood ran cold. She looked up, spotting two men staring at the scene through the window. Ali locked eyes with one of them, and he smiled at her evilly.

The men disappeared quickly and Ali knew they would be trying to find a way into the motel room. She grabbed her gun from the bedside table and ran to the door, franticly trying to lock it. All of a sudden, it flew open, crushing her hand behind it and causing her to drop the gun. The one of the men grabbed her, dragging her inside the room and throwing her on the bed. She was about to fight back when he raised his gun, causing her to still on the bed.

"Who the fuck are you?" she asked, glaring at him as the other heaved Sam into the chair and began binding him with duct tape.

"Name's Kubrick," he replied with the same smile she'd seen outside. "We came for Sam, but I see now we may be able to kill two birds with one stone." Ali frowned.

"How's that?" she asked.

"Don't play dumb, Miss Venator," Kubrick said. "We know exactly who you are." There was a groan, and Ali looked over the man's shoulder to see that Sam was coming to. "Now give me the knife."

"Wha-?"

"He's awake!" the other man said, interrupting Ali's questioning.

"Back with us, eh?" Kubrick said, slapping his mate on the shoulder. "Watch her, Creedy," he instructed, and the second man's gaze fell on Ali, his firearm now trained on her.

"Who are you," Sam said groggily. "What do you want?"

"I used to think your friend Gordon sent me," Kubrick replied. Ali groaned, thinking of the hunter she despised so much. "He asked me to track you down and put a bullet in your brain.

"Great," Sam deadpanned. "That sounds like him."

"But as it turns out, I'm on a mission from God." Ali frowned, and Kubrick backhanded Sam across the face.

"Hey!" Ali yelled, furious. Creedy grabbed her by the hair and pulled her back, gun pressed to her neck. She stilled in his grip. Kubrick hit Sam again, this time causing his noise to bleed. Ali breathed through gritted teeth, her eyes locking with Sam's for a painful second. He was trying to look reassuring, but it was obvious he was in pain.

"You were part of the demon plan to open the gate weren't you?" Kubrik said.

"We did everything we could to stop it," Sam replied.

"Liar! You were in on it," the grey-haired man said. "You know what their next move is, don't you?"

"I don't!" Sam pleaded. "You're wrong about all of this."

"Where are they gonna hit us next?" Kubrick asked, clearly not going to accept what Sam was trying to tell him. The younger Winchester sighed, shaking his head and remaining silent. Growing angry, Kubrick punched Sam again, and Ali could hear something crack. "Where?!"

"Stop!" she yelled, straining against Creedy's painful grasp. "He doesn't know anything." Both the captors ignored her.

"Gordon told me about you Sam," he said. "About your powers. You're some kinda weirdo psychic freak?"

"No," Sam breathed, spitting out a mouthful of blood. "Not anymore."

"Liar!" Sam received another punch across the face and Ali screamed, tears pooling in her eyes and threatening to spill over. "No more lies! There's an army of demons out there pushing at a world already on the brink. We're on deck for the endgame here, right? So maybe, just maybe you can understand why we can't take chances." He raised his gun and pressed it to Sam's forehead.

"Sam!" Ali yelled.

"Whoa, okay…" Sam said, wide eyed. "Hold on a minute!"

"Hey, Kubrick, just…" Creedy started.

"No, you saw what happened, Creedy," Kubrick insisted. "Ask yourself, why are we here? Because you saw a picture on the web? Because we chose this motel instead of another? Luck like that doesn't just happen," he said. "It's God, Creedy. He led us here for one reason. To do His work. This is destiny."

"Nope, no destiny," said a voice. Ali turned to the door to see Dean standing there, gun cocked. Relief flooded over her. "Just a rabbit's foot."

"Put down the gun, son, or you're gonna be scraping brain off the wall," Kubrick said.

"Oh, this thing?" Dean asked, holding out his gun, a smug expression on his face. "Okay, but you see, there's something about me that you don't know." Ali frowned for a moment, before she understood what Dean meant. She shook her head a little, a similar smug expression forming on her lips.

"Yeah?" asked Kubrick disbelievingly. "What would that be?" Dean put his gun on the table, picking up a pen lying next to it.

"It's my lucky day," he said, tossing the pen straight into the barrel of Kubrick's gun. "Oh my God, did you see that shot?" Ali rolled her eyes, taking her opportunity to ram her elbow into a preoccupied Creedy's chin. He cowered over, releasing his grip, and Ali managed to knock the gun out of his hand.

The unarmed man then proceeded to lunge towards Dean, who dodged him effortlessly. Creedy ran straight into the wall, smacking his head and falling down unconscious. Kubrick, still looking bewildered at the pen sticking out of his gun, looked ready for murder, but Dean managed to knock him out with a TV remote aimed expertly between his eyes.

"I'm batman," Dean said, casting the blonde girl and brother smug looks. Ali rolled her eyes, brushing herself off, happy all the same.

"Yeah," Sam replied sarcastically. "You're batman."

* * *

Ali watched as Sam sprinkled the rest of the bone ash into the small fire they had created in order to destroy the rabbit's foot.

"That should do it," he said, as Dean dealt with the last of his scratch cards.

"All right," Dean said. "Say goodbye wascawy wabbit." Ali was happy they'd soon be rid of the curse. Just as he was about the through the foot into the fire, they all heard the sound of a gun being cocked behind them. Ali spun round, spotting the waitress who'd been flirting with Sam earlier – Bela Talbot.

"I think you'll find that belongs to me," she said in a strong British accent. "Put the foot down, honey." Ali scowled at her, her fists clenching under the long sleeves of her jacket.

"No," Dean said with more confidence that Ali had expected. "You're not going to shoot anybody. See I happen to be able to read people. Okay, you're a thief, fine, but you're not-." The gun went off, and Sam collapsed to his knees, groaning loudly. Ali gasped, kneeling down beside him and pushing her hand against the bullet wound in his shoulder.

"Son of a bitch!" Dean cursed her. Ali could think of a lot more she wanted to call the woman in front of her.

"Back off tiger," she said with a smirk. "You've got the luck, Dean. You, I can't hit. But your brother? Him I can't miss."

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Dean asked. "You don't just go around shooting people like that!" Ali helped Sam to his feet. She could tell his body had received enough trauma that day. It was clear he just wanted to go to bed.

"Relax," Bela said. "It's just a shoulder hit. I can aim." Ali muttered a few curses under her breath. "Besides, who here hasn't shot a few people?" Bela's eyes roamed the trio, her gaze locking with Ali's for a few moments. "Put the rabbit's foot on the ground now." Dean sighed.

"All right, take it easy." He slowly bent down to put the rabbit's foot on the ground, before he suddenly flung it across to the woman, who caught it straight away.

"Damn!" she cursed, realising her mistake. She'd now be cursed just like Sam and Dean. The elder Winchester smiled in satisfaction.

"Now, what do you say we destroy that ugly-ass piece of dead thing?" Bela was clearly very irritated by the turn of events, but she knew there was no other way. She walked over to the fire and reluctantly dropped it in the burning embers.

"Thanks very much," she said sarcastically. "I'm out one and a half million, and on the bad side of a very powerful, fairly psychotic buyer." Ali scoffed, looking towards the woman.

"We really don't care about that, right Sam?" she said, slapping his good shoulder.

"Nope," he said, still clutching the wound. "Not even a little." Bela leaned against a stone, her angry eyes still staring at the flames.

"Maybe next time I'll hang you out to dry," she remarked.

"Oh, don't go away angry," Dean quipped. "Just go away." Bela smirked, pushing away from the stone and wondering off back to her car.

"Have a nice night."

* * *

Sam sat on the edge of the bathtub, shirt off, wound exposed. Ali had already carefully fished the bullet out and was now doing the final stitches. Dean was already in bed, the days events knocking him out as soon as his head hit the pillow.

"How does it feel?" she asked, eyes focused on her task. Sam's eyes were fixed on hers. Truth be told, the wound didn't hurt much anymore. Nothing seemed to be too bad when Ali was around.

"Just stings a little," he replied as she snipped the thread. He drew in a short breath as she poured some more liquor on it to disinfect it as best she could. "Thanks." Ali smiled at him, her eyes meeting his for a moment. She suddenly became extremely aware that he was shirtless and quickly turned before he could spot the flush of red that was creeping down her cheeks.

"Here," she said as grabbed a fresh shirt from the side and handed it to him. "Good as new." The blonde girl turned to leave as Sam pulled the shirt over his head, but he caught her hand before she made it to the door.

"Hey," he said softly, and she turned around to face him, eyes questioning. Sam swallowed, quickly dropping her hand. "I just wanted to talk about what you said earlier," he clarified. "About Ruby working alone?"

"Oh," Ali replied, recalling their earlier brief conversation. "It was nothing, really."

"Ali," Sam said seriously. "If something's wrong, you've gotta tell me." The blonde girl sighed, running a hand through her hair.

"Okay," she said finally. "But you have to promise not to tell anybody. Not Dean, not Bobby…"

"I don't think I can promise that," Sam said worriedly.

"You have to," she replied. Sam said nothing for a while, before reluctantly nodding his head.

"What's going on?" Ali took a breath.

"I think someone's following me," she said. Sam's eyes widened and Ali could see a million new questions in them. "I don't know who they are, and I don't know what they want."

"Do you think they're a demon?" Sam asked, trying to find a link between this man and Ruby.

"I'm not sure," she said. "But I think he was here earlier. I saw his motorbike outside the motel."

"He was here?!" Sam asked, and Ali hushed him, not wanting to wake Dean. "Where else have you seen him."

"At the school," she admitted. "And at the roadhouse. I got jumped by a couple of hunters by my car and he sort of saved me."

"What?" Worry and anger flashed past Sam's eyes. "You were attacked by hunters at the roadhouse?" Ali nodded. "Do you know who they were?"

"Ellen knew one of them," she said. Sam looked like he wanted to ask more questions, but Ali silenced him. "It was months ago and its not important," she insisted. "But this guy keeps showing up. I need to know who he is." Sam sighed.

"Am I the only one you've told about this?" he asked. Ali nodded.

"Please keep it that way," she bagged him. Sam didn't seem to think it was a good idea. "Please Sam, you promised."

"Okay," he replied. "Okay, I won't tell. But you have to tell me if he shows up again." Ali nodded, grateful to the younger Winchester.

"Thanks Sam," she said. He nodded with a small smile. Ali turned towards the bathroom door, looking over her shoulder before she left. "Goodnight." Sam watched her go, all she'd told him swirling around his brain.

"Goodnight, Ali."

* * *

 **AN: Hello! It's been a super long time but I've finally updated. Hope you liked this chapter! I started writing this chapter nearly a year ago and then just got so busy and I must admit, pretty unmotivated to write this. I've moved, started a new university course and had quite a bit of life drama :/ BUTTTT I'm hoping to pick this story up again properly. I may not have updated this story in a very long time, but that doesn't mean I haven't been planning and coming up with ideas for future chapters.**

 **As long as you guys want to keep reading, I'll keep writing! (And even if you want to stop reading, I'll probably keep writing anyway :)**

 **Also, anyone who watches The Originals - what did you think of the season finale? Would love to hear your thoughts.**

 **Anyways, let me know what you thought - much love x**


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